Brittany Panico has seen insurers increasingly deny critical drugs and delay approvals for her patients, most of them living with complex autoimmune diseases.

At a town hall about medical claim denials organized in September by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Panico, a Gilbert rheumatologist, shared the story of a patient with uncontrollable gout.

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“It’s the single drug that’s FDA approved for this diagnosis,” Panico said. “We just got it approved last month. We’ve been appealing since October, so almost a full calendar year of appeals.”

A small room, filled with medical providers, patients and lawyers, listened intently, desperate to share testimonies like Panico’s.

“A lot of chronic diseases cause disa

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