Eliminating Hepatitis C: You are the Key to the Cure

Date: 01/14/20

In Louisiana, more than 39,000 people either on Medicaid or in the prison system have hepatitis C. It's a curable condition, but historically the high price (generics cost as much as $30,000) has limited it availability.

In summer 2019, Louisiana established an new Hepatitis C drug subscription model that provides unlimited amounts of the authorized generic of Epclusa for five years, for a flat fee. The subscription model makes it possible to dramatically expand access to Hepatitis C treatment for the Medicaid population. Louisiana aims to to cure 10,000 Medicaid-enrolled and incarcerated individuals by the end of 2020.

Primary care providers are the key to this cure. The Office of Public Health revised the hepatitis C screening and treatment algorithms to expand and accelerate access to the cure, and to reduce administrative burden associated with treatment. These new algorithms are included below.

You can learn more about the campaign to eliminate hepatitis C, including training programs, provider resources and the elimination plan, on the Louisiana Health Hub. 

Streamlined Population Health Screen & Treat Algorithm

(Click on the images to enlarge.)