Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Prisoners Can't Afford Pricey Hep C Drug Costs, But States Don't Have Money For Treatment Either
The New York Times: Hepatitis C Drugs Save Lives. Sick Prisoners May Never Find Out.
Any national campaign to eliminate hepatitis C, an insidious virus that kills tens of thousands of Americans a year, would almost certainly involve prisons. One in seven state inmates are believed to be infected, and the regimented environment of a prison has its advantages when it comes to screening and treatment.The problem is, the drugs that effectively cure the disease are priced in the tens of thousands of dollars — far more than prisons can pay. In 2015, state corrections departments were treating less than 1 percent of those inmates known to be infected, a survey found. (Alcorn, 3/15)
In related news —
The Associated Press: Michigan Settles Lawsuit Over Hepatitis C Treatment Access
The state of Michigan has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit over a policy that restricts certain hepatitis C treatments in the Medicaid program. Details of the agreement haven't been publicly disclosed, but a federal judge will get an update on March 29. Lawyers who filed the lawsuit on behalf of an Oakland County woman said the case could affect thousands of people. (White, 3/14)
