Today, the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School (CHLPI) and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) launched the Hepatitis C: State of Medicaid Access report and state report cards. The report details hepatitis C treatment access restrictions in Medicaid programs in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including traditional fee-for-service as well as managed care. The report focuses on three of the most significant restrictions to treatment: liver damage, sobriety, and prescriber limitations. It is the most comprehensive listing of these restrictions to date. We are also releasing a report card for each state Medicaid program, including Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. These cards will provide a grade for each state based on their restrictions and will include recommendations for improving access to hepatitis C treatment. These materials will be available for download on the www.stateofhepc.org website. The website also has a petition for advocates to sign, calling for open access, and will feature media articles, resources, and other materials. The launch followed the CDC session Placing the Nation on the Path Toward Elimination of Hepatitis B and C – The Role of Federal Agencies.
On Wednesday, October 25th, 9:00 – 10:30 am ET, the Washington Post will host its first Health 202 Live event. This event will bring together elected officials, members of the business community and experts who are shaping the policy, regulation and practice of health care for a live news program examining the issues, questions and stories dominating the health-care debate in Washington. Speakers will discuss the current status of health care reform efforts, the future of Medicare and Medicaid and the state of the insurance marketplace. For those in the Washington DC area, you are encouraged to attend the event in person. The event will also be available through live stream. You can learn more about the event and register to attend, or to receive a live stream notification by going to the Health 202 Live page.
Finally, CHLPI and NVHR are hosting a webinar on November 9, 2017, 3:00 – 4:30 pm Eastern. During this webinar, we will present highlights from the report and report cards and discuss how advocates can use these materials to urge state Medicaid programs to end restrictions to treatment access. You can register for the webinar here.
