Dr. Avery LaChance
Dermatologist
Dr. LaChance is an experienced dermatologist who often treats patients with multiple complex conditions. As a dermatologist, it is her job to take the clues the skin provides to diagnose, monitor, and treat her patients. Insurance companies, however, sometimes make this process difficult to the detriment of the patient.
Dr. LaChance has a patient with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Her conditions affect her ability to sleep, and the pain in her joints limits her ability to perform her job as a massage therapist. Her patient also has a rare form of blood cancer, limiting treatment options. Although her patient was on a medication that worked, the patient changed insurance companies and had to go back to taking a medicine she had previously tried that was not effective – forcing her to “fail first,” causing months of suffering and delays to accessing the appropriate treatment.
Unfortunately, Dr. LaChance and countless other medical professionals are faced with this challenge on a regular basis. That is why Dr. LaChance and healthcare professionals across the country are partnering with other stakeholders to fight for patients and stop the harmful practice of step therapy.