How Minnesota is working to speed up your prescription process

Minnesota's doctors are working with lawmakers to try and reduce the time it takes for you to get your prescriptions.

The Minnesota Medical Association says the drug pre authorization process with insurance companies is broken. They're now working with lawmakers on a new bill to streamline the process and force insurers to be more upfront with doctors about what drugs are covered and which ones are not.

Doctors and supporting lawmakers say the current process wastes time, especially for patients who go their pharmacy only to discover the meds the doctor just prescribed are not covered.

"What happens is I get a piece of paper from the pharmacy that says this isn't covered and I say, What is? And they say, I don't know," said Dr. George E. Schoephoerster. "So then I have to start with paperwork and then it takes hours and hours, and I have to figure out what I have to do to get the right medication and sometimes it doesn't happen."

Lawmakers and doctors say streamlining the pre-authorization process would increase the time doctors can actually spend with their patients.