WellPoint says new hepatitis c drug prices are too high

 WellPoint says new hepatitis c drug prices are too high

(Reuters) - The head of WellPoint Inc's commercial business said on Friday that the price of new hepatitis c drugs, which are made by Gilead Sciences Inc and Johnson and Johnson, are too high.

Ken Goulet, speaking to investors, said the company is working with regulators and drug manufacturers to bring these prices down to a "reasonable" level.

He said that as of mid-February the company had filled 100 prescriptions for commercial members.

On the Medicaid side of the business, WellPoint said that it is working with states on trying to determine how to proceed with either figuring out a managed care cost for the drug or excluding the drug from the managed care plans.

 (Reporting by Caroline Humer, Editing by Franklin Paul)

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