AiArthritis logo showing stylized infinite loop symbol in red with black dots, above organization name for International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis.

Knowledge = Empowerment

A patient-designed and led, multi-level learning experience aimed to increase the number of people affected by Autoimmune Arthritis & Autoinflammatory Arthritis diseases who help influence policy changes to improve healthcare.

TOPICS:

PATIENT-INSTRUCTED VIDEOS, FIELD TRIPS, LEARNING EXPERIENCES & OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE ACCESS TO TREATMENTS

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Would you like to sign up to get notified when new materials are added to the classroom? Or would you like to get more involved in this project through "elevated experiences", which includes:


  • Field Trips. Behind the scenes access when we attend policy-related conferences - we learn, you learn!
  • Movie Days. Watch parties (on zoom) of policy-related webinars with AiArthritis staff and other patients/caregivers
  • Become an AiAdvocate. Join AiArthritis staff, volunteers, and others who are passionate about ensuring patients have access to the healthcare we need. From participating in state coalitions to writing letters to legislators or visiting them to being a "class discussion leader", we have something for everyone.
  • Connect to Webinars, Resources, Mentorship, and More! Just by signing up, you'll get notified of many great resources and opportunities to get involved in taking charge of your health. Sign up today!


Patient-Led Public Policy Education and ACTION Classroom!

Knowledge = Empowerment is a virtual, multi-level, patient-led classroom designed to teach our peers and their caregivers about important issues that may be impacting their access to treatments... AND, for those who have experienced issues accessing their treatments and want to share their stories to impact change, we (patients) can connect them to opportunities to do it!


TOPICS COVERED:

Step Therapy, Prior Authorization, Non-Medical Switching, Accumulators/Maximizers, Alternative Funding Programs, Biomarkers/Precision Medicine, Government Drug Affordability Reviews, 340B, Value Assessments, Biosimilars, Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Transparency & Reform


Class Resources

Patient Explained

Topics (Video Library)

What is it? Why should I care? Share YOUR story!

CHECK THEM OUT!

Patient-Led

Classes

Webinars & AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show episodes

CLASS IN SESSION!

Glossary of Terms

Too often common terms - like "payer" - are confusing. So we created a glossary to help!

VIEW NOW!

#WTHellth?!

Video or written frustration rants about the healthcare system using the hashtag #WTHellth

LEARN MORE!

Patient Explained Topics (Video Library)

Did you know that access to healthcare and treatments is often directly linked to policies (government healthcare systems, insurance companies, etc.?) Understanding what these are, and then sharing YOUR stories (examples) to legislators that show why these policies need to change, is so important! Learn more by viewing the video library.

VIEW THE VIDEO LIBRARY

Want to submit YOUR example (story)? In what ways have you struggled to access healthcare or treatments?

SHARE YOUR EXAMPLE

Classes & Glossary

Class is in session! Lead instructors, including our CEO Tiffany, person living with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and a former award-winning (Favorite Teacher) college instructor, will team with Class Discussion Leaders, who are people with our diseases, too, to host webinars and AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show segments (i.e., "classes").

PATIENT-WRITTEN

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

We recommend viewing the glossary when participating in classrooms. While the patient teachers do their best to clarify terms, this resource can help, too!

VIEW THE GLOSSARY
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Non-Medical Switching (NMS)

Non-medical switching is a strategy that health insurers use to control their costs and maximize profits by forcing stable patients to switch from their current, effective medications to drugs that may not be as effective, for reasons unrelated to health.

CLASS RECORDING
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Biosimilars

Biosimilars, which are safe and effective alternatives to the original biologic, will have slight variations in non-active ingredients due to manufacturing differences. While some patients may be fine to "switch", it should be a choice between the patient and the doctor.

CLASS RECORDING

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Step Therapy

Most have experienced this health insurance protocol that requires us to fail a cheaper drug before being allowed to access the one prescribed by our doctor. Learn more about this issue & what you can do if it happens to you.

CLASS RECORDING

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Accumulators/Maximizers

When insurance plans exclude support from patient assistance programs from counting towards their deductible and maximum out-of-pocket costs, so help runs out mid-year. This, and related issues, can impact access to treatments.

CLASS RECORDING
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Precision Medicine

Precision Medicine can expedite diagnosis, identify the treatment that will work best for you, & more. But access to biomarker testing is often limited to cancer. Learn how you can help improve our access!

CLASS RECORDING
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Value Assessments

Controversial drug assessments that determine if a new therapies value is worth the cost. Patient involvement in research & the assessment process can help ensure drugs certain patient subgroups need remain accessible. 

CLASS RECORDING

#WTHellth?!

#WTHellth is a campaign encouraging those frustrated with various aspects of the healthcare system to share their negative ("hellish") experiences on video or through written rant. The more examples we can gather the better chance we will have to prove the need for change and impact efforts towards improvements.



The name blends the popular acronym "WTH", often used during times of frustration, with a spin on "health" to "hellth" because of the negative experiences patients face when dealing with the healthcare system (which are often described as nightmarish or hellish).


 


Get Involved!


Don’t mind taking your frustrations public? Record your frustration on video or written form and post on social media. Use the hashtag #WTHellth and also include any additional hashtag related to your frustration topic (#StepTherapy, #Access, #Affordability, etc).


Don’t want to make your frustration public on your social media? Send AiArthritis your written rant through our RANT! program, choose #WTHellth as the category. You can choose to submit anonymously, too. SUBMIT THROUGH RANT!




Initial Library Collaborators

Part of our mission at AiArthritis involves a "Global Network" philosophy. This means as we identify patient-reported problems to address (in this case legislative issues that can impact affordability and access to treatments), we first look around to see who else has created resources to address the same problems. Then we reach out to them and ask if we can reference their resources, sharing them with our community so the best materials are available. This also helps use our funds to the fullest, as we do not use any money duplicating efforts.

Arthritis Foundation (USA)

Global Healthy Living Foundation/CreakyJoints

National Psoriasis Foundation

American Cancer Society/Cancer Action Network

Partnership to Improve Patient-Centeredness (PIPC)

National Pharmaceutical Council

Center for Innovation & Value Research

Get More Involved!

Would you like to get more involved? Share your stories to help us fight for change, participate in unique "elevated" experiences with AiArthritis - like writing public comment letters WITH US,  going virtually with us on Field Trips (behind the scenes when we attend policy-related conferences, or become one of the first AiAdvocates in our public policy leadership program!

Thank you to our program sponsors

Platinum Level: Additional Support Towards Government Drug Affordability Reviews

Gold Level: Additional Private "Elevated Experience" and AiAdvocates Supporters

Silver Level: Public Facing Program Supporters

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