Association of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C With After-Treatment Costs Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis C is highly effective but expensive. Evidence is scarce on whether DAA therapy reduces downstream medical costs.

Objective

To examine the association of DAA therapy with posttreatment medical costs among Medicare beneficiaries.

Design, setting, and participants

This retrospective cohort study obtained data from various Medicare claims files for 2013 to 2017. The study population comprised patients with a hepatitis C diagnosis in 2014 who were enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare and Part D. Multivariate regression models were used to compare changes in medical costs over a 30-month posttreatment follow-up period between patients who used DAA therapy (treatment group) and a propensity score-matched cohort o

SUBMITTER: Jung J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7327546 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature