On Wednesday, Florida health officials changed the state's policy for administering expensive hepatitis C drugs to Medicaid patients, now requiring insurance companies to provide the drug at an earlier stage of the disease.
This decision comes in the wake of an injunction received by Washington state's Medicaid program last Friday to provide hepatitis C drugs for all patients, regardless of sickness level. The ruling responded to a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of two Washington Medicaid recipients who were denied the costly drug.
Prior to the Florida amendment, patients could only receive the hepatitis C drug if they were at a fibrosis level of three or four, meaning they had extensive liver damage. Under the new criteria, fibrosis level is no longer a requirement.
Patients typically require two to six months of treatment with the drug, which can cost up to $180,000. Depending on patient history and the type of drug being used, medications are 96 to 100 percent effective.
More articles on supply chain:
Judge orders Washington Medicaid to cover lifesaving hepatitis C drugs for all
Massachusetts lawmakers to vote on bill for transparency into prescription drug costs
Viewpoint: High drug prices may not be high enough