PHILADELPHIA — Viral hepatitis,
specifically hepatitis C virus infection, was prevalent among the
population in southeastern Washington, D.C., according to data presented
at IDWeek 2014.
“The prevalence of hepatitis C infection at our hospital is significant and unexpected,” Joshua Stierwalt, candidate, George Washington University Master of Public Health-Epidemiology, told Healio.com/Hepatology.
“Health care expenditures among hepatitis C patients who are publicly
insured by Medicaid are significant and warrants consideration to
identify opportunities for cost-savings. Efforts are urgently needed to
ensure national and local public policies support the cost of care and
access to the latest hepatitis C treatment for this population.
Monoinfected women had $11 million unreimbursed while coinfected women
had $2.2 million outstanding. In men, those with only HCV held $19.3
million in expenditures without reimbursement while men with HIV/HCV
coinfection had $3.1 million in outstanding expenditures.
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Labels: costs of treatment, expenditures, medicaid, patient costs, reimbursement