Here are five things to know:
1. Some states have implemented prescriber restrictions that make it more difficult for patients to receive the hepatitis C drugs without involving a subspecialist.
2. The AAFP and seven other organizations sent a joint letter to Andy Slavitt, the acting administrator for CMS, on April 18 urging his agency to revise its policies so patients who need hepatitis C drugs have access to physicians who can prescribe them.
3. Previously, patients with hepatitis C were typically treated with self-injections of interferon which, according to the joint letter, had terrible side effects, only a 50 percent cure rate and cost between $15,000 to $20,000.
4. The hepatitis C drug Harvoni, a daily oral pill, has a cure rate of 90 percent and few side effects, but each pill costs $1,125, which translates to $94,500 for three months of treatment or $189,000 for six months.
5. According to a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, 29 states have implemented restrictions based on prescriber type. Fourteen of these states require the prescriber to be a specialist in gastroenterology, hepatology, infectious diseases or liver transplantation. The remaining 15 states allow treatment decisions only after consultations with a specialist.
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