What do I do if insurance denies my medication?

A denied medication claim feels like a wall; it is actually a fork with a sign you have to read first. So step one: get the specific reason. Plans deny for distinct causes - the drug is not on the formulary at all, it needs prior authorization, it requires step therapy (try the cheaper one first), the quantity exceeds their limit, or the pharmacy claim simply had an error. Each reason has its own door, and the pharmacist can usually tell you which code came back. Step two, match the door: not on formulary? Your doctor can either prescribe a covered alternative or file a formulary exception arguing why you specifically need this one. Needs prior auth? The doctor's office files it. Step therapy? If you already tried and failed the cheap options, your doctor documents that history and the requirement often waives. Wrong quantity? A letter of medical necessity for the higher dose. Step three, escalate formally: HealthCare.gov confirms you have the right to an internal appeal - a full and fair review of the decision, sped up if urgent - and then an external review where an independent third party, not the insurer, makes the final call. Denials with genuine medical necessity behind them reverse at meaningful rates, so the appeal is worth the paperwork. While it runs, ask the pharmacist what the cash price with a coupon would be, and your doctor about samples or a covered stopgap. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you decode the denial reason.