Dear Lynn,

I receive insurance through my employer where I have worked for 5 years.

I was diagnosed HIV+ in April 2008 and after consideration and testing, I was just recently was prescribed with Atripla through my physician who is on the health company's network.

I have been notified by my health company that they consider Atripla a "Specialty Medication" and I must now go through a "new in-network specialty pharmacy provider." They continue to explain that this "pharmacy" has a team of specialists for whom I can talk to.

My past experience with this insurance provider is that they are very invasive about my conditions (most of which thus far are non-HIV related).

My question is this: isn't it my in-network's primarty physician's job to prescribe me the medicines that I need and not my insurance provider's duty to request that I contact them about my condition or meds, or suggest that I work with specialists over the phone? I truly feel this is a ploy to invade my privacy. And I question that there motive is not legal.

Thank you for your time and consideration to answer this question.

Sincerely - "Let me and my doctor work on my treatment plan"

With the rising cost of drugs and the use of more biologics, many prescritpon drug plans require participants to use specialty pharmacies for certain drugs. By doing this, the plan is better able to manage costs which results in the plan sponsor beinge able to continue to offer a good plan with broad coverage. this is done with many types of medications, including medications for arthritis, diabetes, AIDS, etc.