Episode 426: Fighting Her Way Through the Health Insurance Maze with Cassandra Ashby

Some disease-modifying therapies can change the trajectory of your MS journey. But gaining access to those medications isn't always as easy or straightforward as it should be. In the United States, insurance companies are most often the gatekeepers to prescription medications. This week, Cassandra Ashby shares a story that many of you may already be too familiar with, as she takes us through her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle to get the DMT that her newly-diagnosed daughter's neurologist prescribed. I We're also talking about the game-changing results of a study that demonstrate MS-related damage to the brain occurs years before the very first symptom becomes apparent. And we're explaining why this opens the door to treatment that may stop MS symptoms from even developing. We're giving you a heads-up about changes to the way health records for MS patients are being coded, and how these changes are already creating obstacles to accessing the disease-modifying therapy that you may have been taking for months or years. And we're reminding you that you still have time to register to participate virtually in tomorrow's historic meeting between people with MS and the FDA We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The sometimes overwhelming challenge of gaining access to the disease-modifying therapy that's been prescribed by your MS Specialist :22 Study results demonstrate MS-related brain damage occurs years before MS symptoms 1:22 What are ICD-10 codes, and why do the latest changes to these codes pose potential challenges for people living with MS? 5:52 You can participate virtually in tomorrow's meeting between people with MS and the FDA 9:23 Cassandra Ashby shares her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle with their insurance company 10:56 Share this episode 31:06 Next week's episode 31:26 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/426 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [e-mail] Phone: [phone] And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463 SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy STUDY: Myelin Injury Precedes Axonal Injury and Symptomatic Onset in Multiple Sclerosis https://nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04014-w WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025 JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 426 Guests: Cassandra Ashby Privacy Policy