What if I Miss a Dose of my MS Treatment? 6 Tips for Staying on Track

Continued adherence to multiple sclerosis medications is essential for multiple sclerosis treatments to be fully effective. Poor adherence can lead to increased frequency and severity of relapses, hospitalizations, worsening disability, and a decreased quality of life. Read our 6 tips to help you stay on track with your medication routine.  

Tip #1: Set Medication Reminders

 Taking your medication regularly is important for managing your symptoms. But it can be a lot to remember. When it comes to staying on track with your medication, you have options, so you never miss a dose:  

• Set phone alarms to remind you when your dose is due. 

• Keep up with your doses on a calendar. Mark when the dose is due and check off when you have completed it. 

• There are medication apps that you can download on your phone that can assist with adherence reminders 

• Adding your medication into a daily routine can be very helpful. For example, every morning, take your medication after you brush your teeth, feed your dog, etc. 

• A spouse, family member or friend can also assist with giving you a friendly reminder.

Tip #2: Talk to Your Doctor About Side Effects

Side effects may make you less proactive around taking your medication as prescribed. 

• Keep the lines of communication open. Contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to let them know what is going on. Many times, they can provide different options to minimize or even resolve side effects. 

Tip #3 Get Access to The Medications You Need 

Specialty medications can be expensive. Utilize your insurance and know where to get financial assistance if needed.

Let’s take a closer look at common barriers to accessing specialty medications: 

• Health insurance protocols, limited availability or geographic location may pose challenges in accessing the medication you need   

• When assessing how much these medications will cost you and where your insurance can support you may come across common terms that are new to you.  

• Prior authorizations are often required by health insurance plans before you can get your MS medication. This process can be lengthy and require a lot of coordination between the health plan, pharmacy, provider, and patient.  

• Many specialty medicines are considered limited distribution drugs (LDDs) and are not commonly stocked at pharmacies. If a medication is not locally stocked, it can cause delays in getting to the patient in a timely manner.  

Solutions to these barriers:  

The role of patient advocates, which may be available through health plans, clinics, support groups, and more, can offer support. 

Get familiar with common terms you might come across and what they mean:  

• Co-pays
  • The set amount you pay out-of-pocket you for covered prescriptions and medical services.
• Co-insurance
  • The percentage of cost you pay for covered prescriptions and medical services after you’ve met your deductible.
• Deductibles
  • A set amount of money you must pay each year for covered prescriptions and medical services before your insurance plans shares the costs. 
• Formulary
  • A list of prescription drugs that are covered by your insurance.
• Step edits
  • Certain requirements that must be met before  insurance companies will pay for your medication.
• Appeals process
  • Just because your insurance denies the initial prior authorization, doesn’t mean they won’t approve it. Your healthcare provider can submit an appeal, describing in more detail why you need the medication and why their preferred agents are not appropriate. 

Specialty pharmacies, like CenterWell, expand access to hard-to-find medications and offer mail-order services that can help you keep up with your medication routines, even if you live far away from a pharmacy. They may also provide services to help find lower-cost alternatives. 

Your specialty pharmacy will keep track of paperwork from health plans, providers, and prior authorization documents to help prevent any loss of information. 

Specialty pharmacies will keep up with the insurance Evidence of Coverage (EOC) to stay in the loop with any annual changes. 

Tip #4: Look for Financial Assistance

Sometimes, even when your medications are approved by your insurance, the copays are unaffordable. Here are some options that can lower your copay, resulting in little to no cost at all!  

• Copay cards are supplied by drug manufacturers. Always check with your pharmacy to be sure the copay card is applied.  
• Manufacturer assistance programs can provide medication free of charge to patients that are uninsured, have high Medicare copays, or if insurance companies won’t approve their medication.  
• Non-profit foundations can help with prescription costs for Medicare patients with high copays through grants. These include:  
  • Healthwell Foundation 
  • Patient Access Network 
  • The Assistance Fund 
  • Good Days Fund 
  • Patient Advocate Foundation  
• Specialty pharmacies, like CenterWell Pharmacy, help you navigate these aspects and can provide financial counseling. They assess your insurance benefits and identify patient assistance programs and organizations that can help you afford medication.  

Tip #5: Remember the Purpose of Taking Your Medication

Sometimes you may not feel like taking your medication and may wonder how it’s helping to treat your MS.  

• Check your mood. Are you feeling depressed? Reach out to your healthcare provider if you have new or worsening feeling of depression. 

• Remember, the goal of therapy is to reduce relapses and slow disease progression. The disease-modifying medication you take today is helping to protect your future. Studies show patients that are on disease modifying therapies have better outcomes that those that are not on therapy.  

• Specially trained doctors prescribe medication based on the unique symptoms of each patient. The right medications can help slow disease progression, reduce flare-ups, and help patients regain control over their symptoms.  

Tip #6: Find a Good Support System

This can include your partner or spouse, family members, friends, church, or MS groups. A good support system improves your overall health and can reduce stress and anxiety. This network of people can provide: 

• Assistance with injections and medication reminders 

• Transportation to infusions 

• Emotional support 

• Childcare 

 Many helpful resources beyond your healthcare provider’s office are available:  

• Specialty pharmacies 

• Drug manufacturer support programs 

• MS advocacy organizations 

Remember, people who adhere more closely to their medication regimen will experience better outcomes. If you continue to have adherence challenges with your prescribed medication, despite using the tips above, talk to your healthcare provider about switching to something that is a better fit for you.