Strategies for Improving Hepatitis C Treatment Access in the United States: State Officials Address High Drug Prices, Stigma, and Building Treatment Capacity.

TitleStrategies for Improving Hepatitis C Treatment Access in the United States: State Officials Address High Drug Prices, Stigma, and Building Treatment Capacity.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsKapadia SN, Johnston CD, Marks KM, Schackman BR, Martin EG
JournalJ Public Health Manag Pract
Volume25
Issue3
Pagination245-252
Date Published2019 May/Jun
ISSN1550-5022
Abstract

CONTEXT: Curative treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) can alter the course of a devastating epidemic, but high drug prices have contributed to restrictions on HCV treatment access.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to learn how state health agencies have responded to the challenges of treatment access for HCV.

DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured key informant interviews focused on aspects of HCV treatment access between June 2016 and March 2017. Content analysis was used to identify dominant themes.

SETTING: United States.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen health officials and treatment advocates across 6 states selected using purposive sampling.

RESULTS: Drug pricing is the most important barrier to access, encouraging restrictive authorization criteria from payers that in turn discourage providers from offering treatment. However, payers have not experienced the budget impact that was initially feared. Although authorization criteria are being lifted for fee-for-service Medicaid programs, ensuring that managed care organizations follow suit remains a challenge. The effect of stigma, a shortage of treating providers, and lack of political motivation are additional challenges to expanding treatment. The response to the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic can augment or inform strategies for HCV treatment delivery, but this is limited by the absence of dedicated funding.

CONCLUSIONS: While treatment eligibility criteria for HCV treatment are improving, many other barriers remain to achieving the scale-up needed to end the epidemic. Political disinterest, stigma, and a lack of specialty providers are continued barriers in some jurisdictions. States may need to invest in strategies to overcome these barriers, such as engaging in public and provider education and ensuring that treatment by primary care providers is reimbursed. Despite uncertainty about how federal policy changes to Medicaid may affect states' ability to respond, states can identify opportunities to improve access.

DOI10.1097/PHH.0000000000000829
Alternate JournalJ Public Health Manag Pract
PubMed ID29927900
PubMed Central IDPMC6309344
Grant ListP30 DA040500 / DA / NIDA NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000457 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR002384 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
Division: 
Comparative Effectiveness & Outcomes Research
Category: 
Faculty Publication