Hepatitis Forums
Hepatitis C Main Forums => Hepatitis C Awareness and Activism => Topic started by: sickpuppy on July 29, 2015, 05:09:43 am
-
The UK has decided not to offer a 24 weeks course of Harvoni, Viekira or any other expensive DAA under any circumstance. It has also decided that instead, they will offer 12 weeks Harvoni + Ribavirin only to TX-naive cirrhotics.
TX-experienced cirrhotics will not get treatment (not even the 12 weeks one) if they have portal hypertension, have platelets under 75,000 or other retarded reasons. Not economically viable to save they say.
Document available here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-TAG484/documents/hepatitis-c-chronic-ledipasvirsofosbuvir-id742-appraisal-consultation-document-22 (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-TAG484/documents/hepatitis-c-chronic-ledipasvirsofosbuvir-id742-appraisal-consultation-document-22)
-
No words.
-
This is the ugly side of socialized medicine that many will realize once Obamacare is fully implemented.
-
This isn't a political board, but I feel I have to comment. Actually no, Chino 1969 - It's the private insurance companies who are refusing to pay mostly. Nothing to do with your thought that Obamacare is "socialized medicine". We have that already in Medicare and Medicaid (called MediCal in CA). In fact some people in the US are suing Blue Cross, Anthem, and other insurers as they are being turned down because of the cost of the drugs, coupled with the fact that (according to the insurance companies) - they're not "sick enough". One only gets these miraculous but obscenely priced drugs (thank you Gilead and Abbvie) if you can pay for them out of pocket, or your tests show you're a certain level of fibrosis or cirrhosis. If it wasn't for Obamacare, I would have had an impossible time getting insurance at all because Hep C is a big, bad preexisting condition. If it wasn't for the fact that I live in a state with its own health exchange and low-income programs, I wouldn't have been able to go to a hepotologist who had me get a fibrosure blood test and a fibrocan and then fought for me to get Harvoni. I'm sorry that the UK National Health isn't paying yet, but there is private health coverage available there, too. Are the private providers paying? I know in Spain they are much like the US - only those who are "sick enough". Other countries, including those with mandatory insurance like Germany, are covering it on a case-by-case basis. Best of luck to all...and hopefully everyone who needs these drugs will be able to get them soon.
-
Hi, just wanted to mention a few things. I have completed the 24 week course with Harvoni. I had to provide a biopsy which I had done around 2008. My doctor was a great champion for this treatment and his office did quite a bit of leg work to accomplish this. I hope everyone who,reads this is aware of the coupon co-pay program through Gilead. My co-pay was $5.00 monthly. go to their website for the coupon. Don't exactly know why I was accepted into the program, and it did take a couple of weeks, but the meds were sent to me at home every month. The insurance company was Encompass out of Atlanta.
The other thing I wanted to mention. Be sure to get rid of your razors, and toothbrushes as soon as you are tested and have no detectable virus.
I have just about 1 week till I get my post treatment viral load test and here's hoping it doesn't show up. good luck to everyone!
-
Best of luck, Gary! I go for blood tests this week (week 4 out of 8). Let us know how you're doing!
-
Best of luck, Gary! I go for blood tests this week (week 4 out of 8 ). Let us know how you're doing!
Welcome to the forums clemmiez and Gary. And good luck on your Week 4 results clemmiez, and your post-tx results Gary!! :)
kim
-
Thanks Kim, got the blood work done today, will know the outcome on Thursday. The 20th. Thanks for the good wishes!
-
If the UK is unable to provide treatment to people with cirrhosis in addition to other conditions, then I assume this is a cost-effectiveness reason? Because cirrhosis can resolve in up to 50% of cases if HCV is treated, and this can often help the other conditions as well.
If I were in the UK and this happened to me, I'd sue the drug companies. Reckless endangerment due to their pricing.
-
I guess I WOULD just mention that 12 weeks of Harvoni/ribavirin has been just as effective in studies as 24 weeks of Harvoni alone...so that's good, at least for people who can tolerate ribavirin...
-
Kim, got the results on the 21st of Aug....All clear! I' m cured ! Hope everybody has the same outcome. I got 2 of my friends that live out of state on the $5.00 per month copayment . One did 12 week and the other has been on it for 3 weeks. The one that has finished is virus free. He was geno 3a. Good Luck to all, and please try to get on the $5.00 copayment , it takes some work from your doctor , but it's doable, go to the Gilead site for the coupon. Best wishes, Gary