Following threats to sue Gilead Sciences over the cost of its hepatitis C treatments, the commonwealth of Massachusetts has reached a deal with the drug maker for rebates for some of its residents who are infected with the chronic disease.
The deal, which begins Aug. 1., is expected to save the state a significant amount of money, but projected savings were not disclosed. However, the cost of hepatitis C drugs for about 2,800 people covered by MassHealth, which is the commonwealth’s Medicaid program, has so far totaled about $318 million from late 2014 through early 2016, according to a statement from the agency. A MassHealth spokeswoman, however, said the state expects lower unit costs to be offset by more people being treated, so the state is not forecasting any change in net spending.
Gilead’s Harvoni treatment will be the exclusive therapy for about 80 percent of MassHealth Members, although the agency also negotiated rebates for the older Sovaldi medication and Daklinza, a hepatitis C medicine sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb, which would be used to treat about 20 percent of those who are infected with specific strains of the disease.
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