Medicaid Hepatitis C Virus Treatment Policies: Impact on Testing and Treatment in the Commercially Insured.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

A total of 23 state Medicaid programs continue to restrict hepatitis C virus (HCV) medication access by liver disease or substance-use criteria, creating obstacles to HCV elimination and significant care disparities. Because public insurers often set precedents for private insurer coverage and clinician practice patterns, this study sought to analyze whether spillover occurs from state Medicaid HCV treatment restrictions to HCV screening and treatment rates in commercially insured individuals.

Methods

Investigators analyzed 2014‒2017 commercial claims data across 48 U.S. states (721,961,965 person-months) and used an interrupted times series design to compare hepatitis C virus screening and treatment rates before and after state Medicaid HCV treatment policy cha

SUBMITTER: Epstein RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9676070 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature