By Eric Pianin
States are saving hundreds of millions of dollars annually by enforcing these drug rationing procedures and say they would bust their budgets if they had to pay for ‘wonder drugs’ to treat every Hep-C patient who applies for prescription drug coverage. Gilead Sciences, which manufacturers both biologic medications, touts cure rates of as high as 95 percent in contrast to 40 percent for less advanced treatments. But Sovaldi and Harvoni can cost between $83,000 and $95,000 retail for a full course of treatment.
But consumer and civil rights advocates who view rationing by Medicaid, Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other government agencies and programs as a matter of life or death are pushing back by seeking redress in the federal courts.
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