Economic and Public Health Impacts of Policies Restricting Access to Hepatitis C Treatment for Medicaid Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Interferon-free hepatitis C treatment regimens are effective but very costly. The cost-effectiveness, budget, and public health impacts of current Medicaid treatment policies restricting treatment to patients with advanced disease remain unknown.

Objectives

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of current Medicaid policies restricting hepatitis C treatment to patients with advanced disease compared with a strategy providing unrestricted access to hepatitis C treatment, assess the budget and public health impact of each strategy, and estimate the feasibility and long-term effects of increased access to treatment for patients with hepatitis C.

Methods

Using a Markov model, we compared two strategies for 45- to 55-year-old Medicaid beneficiaries: 1) Current Pract

SUBMITTER: Chidi AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4916393 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature