One group particularly hard-hit are patients with Hepatitis C, a disease that impacts an estimated 3.2 million people in the United States.
High out-of-pocket costs and insurance companies’ unwillingness to cover Hepatitis C drugs is leading to many patients going untreated, infecting others and increasing the epidemic, said Phil Pauvlinch, pharmacist at Equitas Health, formerly AIDS Resource Center Ohio.
The government’s spending is only going to grow as three out of four Hepatitis C patients are baby boomers who are aging into eligibility for Medicare Part D.
More from investigation into prescription drug prices:
Million-dollar drug keeps local woman alive
Kettering diabetic on insulin prices: ‘I’m getting gouged’
IN-DEPTH REPORT: What drives prescription drug prices?
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