What a great question — and it's smart to get ahead of this early in your treatment journey!
Prior authorization (pre-auth) is mostly handled by your rheumatologist's office, but there are a few things that can help the process go smoothly on your end:
- Stay reachable — your doctor's office may need to contact you Show Full Answer
What a great question — and it's smart to get ahead of this early in your treatment journey!
Prior authorization (pre-auth) is mostly handled by your rheumatologist's office, but there are a few things that can help the process go smoothly on your end:
- Stay reachable — your doctor's office may need to contact you quickly if the insurance company has questions
- Know your insurance details — have your insurance card handy and be aware of your plan type
- Be prepared to share your diagnosis date and treatment history — insurers often want to see that other treatments were tried first (like methotrexate) before approving a biologic like Cimzia
- Ask your rheumatologist's office if there's anything specific they need from you to complete the paperwork The good news is that your doctor starting you on methotrexate first actually works in your favor for the pre-auth process, as insurers typically require documentation that a conventional treatment was attempted before approving a biologic.
Don't hesitate to ask your rheumatologist's office to walk you through their pre-auth process — it's very common and they do it regularly!
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diagnose, treat, or cure any condition or disease. Always ask your doctor about specific health concerns.
Shared Decision-Making in RA
May 16