Medicaid and Hep C Medication

[Jazmine6]

Hi.  I am new here and have always been a reader of the forums.  Everyone always has great information to offer.  I have my first appointment on the 14th of April to see a doctor about my Hep C.  My only insurance is medicaid and I'm concerned that being on state insurance they will want me to take the less expensive medication with harsher side effects. Can anyone help me with this?  I just want to know what I can say when I go in and if I still have the option to ask for one of the newer medications being on  low income insurance.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Also is there a place on the forums or on the web where I can be referred to a good doctor in my state if I need to search out a different doctor?

[Jazmine6]

Can anyone tell me about Sovaldi?

[AWorriedMom]

Please come back and tell us your experience with the doctor. I have heard he is very good but don't know from personal experience.

Which drug gets prescribed for you depends on your genotype. Most people are genotype 1 and both Harvoni and Viekira Pak are appropriate. Since you are treatment naive and if your viral load is below 6 million, Harvoni for 8 weeks would be great. Viekira Pak is more pills and is given with ribavirin. Both are successful treatments. If you have to have hep C you certainly got it at a great time. Unfortunately, many insurance companies will only approve one treatment over the other so docs may not be able to prescribe the one they prefer. For example, those with ConnectiCare  (HMO3T) will only be prescribed Viekira Pak and you must be stage 3 or 4.

I hope you like Dr. Wu.

[Jazmine6]

Ok just ignore my reply Dee1956.  I answered questions before reading the rest of what you wrote.  Thank you for all of this information.  I wouldn't have had a clue as to where I should look for any of this.  I am actually going to see Dr Wu (AWorriedMom posted above).  He's at UConn.  I definitely will come back here and let you know how my first appointment went.  I know that once I know more about my liver condition that will probably have a lot to do with which medicine I'm prescribed correct?  I think I read somewhere that Harvoni is only for certain levels?  Sorry for sounding so new and uninformed.  This is why this is the best place for me to be right now. :)

[Jazmine6]

My state is Connecticut.  Sorry I thought I mentioned it above.  

[Jazmine6]

Thank you so much.  Sorry I wasn't able to come back online and reply sooner.  This was very helpful.  I'm anxious to get to the appointment Tuesday morning and get more information and see what will be available to me.  I contacted someone at Support Path also and she gave me an intake form to bring with me to my appointment and told me steps to take if my insurance doesn't approve my medication.  Thank you so much for your help.  

[Dee1956]

The link was helpful, Iit looks like you have to have seen a Hepatologist or Infectious disease doctor in the past 3 months if another doctor is writing prescription

Have to be either F3 or F4 and must have imaging results or biopsy to prove it.

Can only get prescriptions 2 weeks at a time.

I guess Ct is one of the states that has the added restrictions at this time.  They are working on this deal that should be approved in the next few days which will really help people in CT

At least it is moving forward.