Utilization management hurdles

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) affect about 3 million Americans, with peak onset between ages 15 and 30.1 Evidence shows that early biologic therapy for moderate-to-severe IBD leads to faster, higher remission rates, reducing hospitalizations and surgeries.2 This has shifted the treatment paradigm from the traditional “step-up” approach to early biologic initiation, now reflected in clinical guidelines for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.3,4 Despite advances in care, significant barriers to treatment remain, largely driven by health insurance policies and market-driven health care decisions.