You may not be able to avoid getting denied for skin treatments, but these steps may give you a better chance of getting coverage:Read your health plan documents. No one wants to wade through the member handbook or coverage policies your health plan publishes, but these materials spell out the rules you need to follow to get your care covered. Understanding the rules can help you avoid preventable mistakes. Request prior authorization if it’s required. It’s technically your responsibility to get prior approval for specific treatments, but most HCPs will help you make prior authorization requests. Your HCP can include the medical reason for the requested treatment and speak directly with a medical peer who works for the health plan. See HCPs who participate in your health plan network. See an HCP who works with your health insurer. If you can’t find one, ask for approval to see an HCP who does not participate, called out-of-network. You’ll have to show that the plan has no one in your area with the right expertise. Focus on medical necessity. The stronger the evidence of medical necessity, the more likely it is that the insurer will cover it.Stick with it. Just because your insurer denies your request for coverage doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get them to pay for it eventually. Follow the rules for filing appeals and don’t give up. Patients who appeal denials win as much as 4 out of 10 times. If you can’t get your insurer to approve a treatment, you may still have options.Request a cash-pay discount for the treatment from your HCP.Use a pharmacy discount card, which sometimes even makes drugs cost less than if you use insurance. Check with the drug maker for a coupon or financial assistance. This resource was created with support from Eli Lilly.