Advocates Urge Easier Access To Expensive Drug For Medicaid Patients

Advocates for those living with Hepatitis C are urging the state Department of Social Services to ease new criteria patients must meet in order to have an expensive medication covered by Medicaid.

DSS has issued a bulletin to medical care providers, notifying them that patients with Hepatitis C who are enrolled in HUSKY A, HUSKY C or HUSKY D — parts of the state’s Medicaid program — must have “prior authorization” in order for prescriptions for the medication Sovaldi to be covered.

Prior authorization typically is required by insurers when they want to make sure certain prescription drugs are appropriately used. In essence, it requires enrollees to meet a higher threshold of criteria before insurers will agree to cover the medication’s expense.

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Pakistan: Hepatitis C medication: Govt slashes Sovaldi’s price

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday announced a reduction in the price of Sovaldi — the ‘breakthrough drug’ for Hepatitis C. State minister for health Saira Tarar announced that the current price of Rs55,000 has been slashed and the drug would now be available at Rs32,300 per bottle, according to a press release. Tarar said the measure will benefit over 10 million Hepatitis C patients across Pakistan and the ministry will ensure that an adequate quantity of the drug is available within six weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2015.

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Gilead agrees 41,000 euro hep-C drug price for 12 week treatment

(Reuters) - Drugmaker Gilead has agreed on a price for its hepatitis C drug Sovaldi of 41,000 euros ($46,625) for a 12-week treatment for Germany's statutory medical insurers, the GKV association of Germany's statutory medical insurers said.

GKV, who provides coverage for about nine out of 10 Germans, said the U.S. biotechnology company had agreed on a price of 43,562.52 euros, which is subject to a 5.88 percent discount for statutory insurers.

The drug had initially been offered in Germany for a list price of 60,000 euros, or about 56,500 euros including the discount.

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