Are new hep C treatments cost effective? Doctors say answer is “a resounding yes”

In case you missed it, a recent Bloomberg story features a new report from an influential panel of doctors and medical experts which finds that new treatments for hepatitis C are “cost effective.” The report is from a 32-member panel  representing more than 10,000 physicians, health workers and scientists “that helps insurers set policies.” The article quotes one member of the group, a doctor from Boston Medical Center, as saying that the answer to whether these drugs are cost-effective is “a resounding yes.”

Check out the highlights below for more information:

• “Health insurers that have been reluctant to cover hepatitis C drugs…will face more pressure after a report concluding the medications are ‘cost-effective’ given their benefits.”

• “Health insurers and government programs have negotiated discounts of almost half of Gilead’s list price, on average, the company has said.”

• “If you look at the catalog price, which is like the sticker price on the car, no one actually pays that,” Linas said. “The more realistic, actual cost, the price people are paying -- it’s in the cost-effective zone.”

• “The panel’s current hepatitis C guidelines are cited by the three largest U.S. health insurers, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the World Health Organization. Health insurers use such guidelines to determine best medical practices…”

• “Health insurers consider clinical conclusions such as the AASLD-IDSA guidelines in making decisions about what drugs to pay for…”

• “The new guidelines rely on research that so far has focused mostly on Gilead’s treatments, Linas said. One of the studies that examined AbbVie’s drugs also found them to be worth the cost, even at the list price.”

Click here to read to full article. For more, be sure to check out:

• What They Are Saying about New Hep C Cure: “That's actually a great deal”
• ICYMI: Insurer: “Can drugs as expensive as these really be cost-effective? The answer is yes.”