As a shortage of growth hormone used to treat rare diseases in children drags on, families and doctors are struggling with insurers' requirements to get prescriptions filled.
Winston Hall, 9, needs growth hormone to manage symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome, a genetic condition. A shortage of the medicine has contributed to behavioral issues that led him to be sent home from school.Winston Hall, 9, needs growth hormone to manage symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome, a genetic condition. A shortage of the medicine has contributed to behavioral issues that led him to be sent home from school.Dr.
Norditropin, the growth hormone prescribed most often, went into shortage in the fall of 2022. It's still scarce a year and a half later, despite assurances from Novo Nordisk, maker of the drug, that supplies would stabilize in 2024. As people try to switch to other brands, a ripple effect has been causing shortages of those products too.For Miller's patients, 500 of whom have a rare disorder called, it has been devastating.
Most insurance companies require a prior authorization for growth hormone, meaning health care providers need to justify their prescription with the insurance company before the company will cover the drug, allowing the pharmacy to dispense it to the patient. The process can take days or weeks, which is cumbersome but at least was required only once or twice a year for most families.
Hillary and Jeff Hall were able to get a supply of Omnitrope, a growth hormone, from Mexico. But the medicine cost $1,400 and wasn't covered by the Las Vegas family's insurance.Hillary and Jeff Hall were able to get a supply of Omnitrope, a growth hormone, from Mexico. But the medicine cost $1,400 and wasn't covered by the Las Vegas family's insurance.
They eventually went without their insurance and bought Winston a 30-day supply of growth hormone from Mexico for $1,400.Novo Nordisk says it is"taking every action possible" to ramp up supply, which it says has become more consistent since earlier in the shortage. It also says it's working with insurers and specialty pharmacies to simplify their processes for dispensing medicines.
Members of the Hall family pose for a photo at their Las Vegas home: parents Hillary and Jeff and children Winston , Maggie and Walker.Members of the Hall family pose for a photo at their Las Vegas home: parents Hillary and Jeff and children Winston , Maggie and Walker.In an emailed statement, CVS Caremark defended its decision to keep prior authorization in place for growth hormone.
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