This is a wonderful announcement. Brings tears to my eyes and hope to my heart that we all kick this dragon to the curb!
Hmmmm, I thought that the government dictates what percent of a discount the pharmaceutical company must offer. Like I said, I am fairly clueless about that part of it. Thanks for the information though. I should try and learn about this but right now I am just one tired person.
Actually, the government does not set the prices for drugs but each state's medicaid plan can lobby for discounts and stipulate who gets the drugs and who doesn't. Medicaid does get discounts but I don't know about Medicare. It really can get confusing for a layperson. Pharma makes the offers and the state accepts or denies those offers. I think the negotiations are between the drug company and the insurance company that administers Medicare.
What I wonder about the most is if the Medicare insurance plan, such as ES, approves the script, then does Medicaid have to follow suit on the balance.
I am not confident enough to even have a discussion about the government run insurance programs. I know that the government sets prices so I don't know what pharma can do about that. Also each State is different. I think we just have to wait on this and see how it plays out.
I just read something about because Medicaid is already discounted by something like 23% that Abbvie may not be able to help with lowering the cost. Also, apparently Gilead has already contracted with some state Medicaids and in those states Havoni will continue to be prescribed, but it made me wonder if this is true, then for someone like myself who has Medicare along with Medicaid would I be able to obtain Harvoni. I don't expect an answer by any means but I just am curious as to how it'll all work out.
In Oregon Gilead offered the ACA plan (Oregon Health Plan) a deal but Oregon refused it because Gilead specified that everyone would need to be treated and Oregon doesn't want to make that investment.
It will be very interesting to see how it all unfolds.
Yes Sarah, that sounds right. We don't yet have information on Medicare and Medicaid. But Abbvie has already talked to one of the biggest payers, Express Scripts. It is our hope that they are talking to all payers, both private and public. As soon as we are given the information we will share it.
Is Abbvie also making a deal with the state Medicaids to where everyone will be able to treat? That would be so totally refreshing. Plus, it would make good sense, something I haven't seen a lot of this last year.
So it sounds like if you have already treated with Sovaldi/Olysio and relapse that Express Scripts will let you go ahead and treat with Harvoni. Does that sound right?
It is actually very good news. And there is more good news to come.
Hey there! Thanks for the information. I appreciate you sharing this with everyone. I can see that Express Scripts is helping everyone by starting this. The other companies will follow suit, maybe kicking and screaming but they will have no choice.
Thank you, this is good news, Dee