Viral hepatitis prevalent, expenses not reimbursed

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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