LAS VEGAS – If you’re considering adding biologics for psoriasis to your clinical practice, dermatologist Kristina C. Duffin, MD, has some advice: Don’t expect to just use one drug, focus on comorbidities, and embrace strategies to bypass the potential obstacle of prior-authorization approvals.
Dr. Kristina C. Duffin
Here are some tips from Dr. Duffin, who spoke at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar:
- Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all medication. “There is no one, single go-to drug,” said Dr. Duffin, who is cochair of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. “Maybe someday, we will have a biological personalized medicine marker to say this is the right drug, but for now we don’t.” More than 10 biologics are available to treat psoriasis, she said, and more are in the pipeline.
- Pay close attention to comorbidities. It’s important to “have a good grasp” of a patient’s comorbidities, which can help focus the choice of a biologic, Dr. Duffin said. She recommends starting with an anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents for patients with psoriatic arthritis. For patients with Crohn’s disease, she recommends anti-TNF (adalimumab, infliximab) and anti-interleukin–12/23 or anti-IL-23 agents (ustekinumab). Anti-TNF agents should be avoided in patients with multiple sclerosis, and anti-IL-17 agents shouldn’t be given to patients with recurrent candidiasis, she noted.
- Encourage patients to make prompt decisions. Dr. Duffin sits down with patients to discuss various biologic options, and she goes over information in handouts. She also focuses on their needs: “Are they interested in getting better fast? Do they want to be clear for their wedding in a month?” She prefers to not let patients go home to think about what they’d like to do. Instead, she advises patients to make choices while at the office visit.
- Order lab tests and be careful about vaccines. Dr. Duffin orders the following tests for all patients who are starting on biologics: CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. She orders HIV, Hba1c and lipid tests, if appropriate. She prefers that patients treated with biologics avoid live vaccines. She suggests other vaccines, if indicated, such as seasonal influenza and pneumonia vaccines, and for those aged 50 years and older, herpes zoster vaccine. She urges patients to call the office if they have an infection or need surgery because they may need to discuss putting a temporary hold on the biologics.
- Understand how to navigate formularies.“Getting drugs approved for patients with Medicare is a challenge,” Dr. Duffin said. It’s helpful to understand how insurers handle specific psoriasis drugs so you can choose one that’s likely to be covered if you’re unsure which one is best. The website www.covermymeds.com allows physicians to easily check insurer formularies, free of charge, she said.
- Documentation is crucial when you’re dealing with an insurer. Document body surface area, Psoriasis Area Severity Index scores, or physician global assessment measures, she advised. An app provided by the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, is a helpful in determining these measurements, she said. Also include information about failed treatments and the rationale behind why you chose a specific treatment, she said. “If denial happens, get the details,” she said. This may turn up a clerical error on the insurer’s part that incorrectly led to a denial.
- Escalate challenges to drug denials. If the preferred treatment is denied, one option is to appeal the denial. As a resource, Dr. Duffin pointed to sample letters for appealing denials for physicians and patients on the websites for the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation. Ask for a limited 6-month approval, she said, or have the patient write a letter to the insurer using one of the sample letter templates. Another option is to ask the insurer for a “peer-to-peer” review, she said. “Sometimes it’s really hard for insurance company folks to say no to you if you have a really good story,” she commented.
- Help your patients get financial assistance. Almost every biologic manufacturer has a patient assistance plan, which can also help with deductibles and copays, Dr. Duffin said.
Dr. Duffin discloses consulting for AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sienna. She has received grant/contracted research support from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sienna, Stiefel, and UCB.
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