Health and Human Services Secretary (HSS) Sylvia Mathews Burwell recently received a letter penned by more than 300 health advocacy groups regarding insurance companies that discriminate against patients with long-term health conditions.

The groups' major concern involves the coverage of pricey, yet necessary, medication.

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The health advocates expressed the difficulties patients experience regarding health care, insurance of all kinds and new insurance exchanges that do not provide the whole picture of how plans are sold.

The letter said all of these factors are obvious expressions of biases against those who are not in good health, but who are in most need of insurance.

Healthy people usually acquire policies with lower premiums, while those with health issues target plans that help them access the best hospitals with the most reputable specialists.

A number of insurance plans require patients with chronic health issues to pay 30 percent or higher for drugs that cost thousands of dollars a month. Medications for cancer and HIV treatments are among the most expensive.

However, insurance companies blatantly stated that these health advocates are merely confusing cost-control with discrimination.

America's Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry trade group, shared that patients should not worry about prejudice. The trade group said they do give plenty of options on insurance exchanges, such as standard silver plans in which patients are required to pay a huge amount for their medical bills, but drug coverage is fairly high and extensive.

The spokesperson for the HSS stated that they have received the letter the health advocates penned. She said the department will respond to the health advocates, while highlighting the superior level of consumer protection the American public has these days. Before, an insurance company could use any existing medical condition to deny patient coverage.