Texas Medicaid patients with hepatitis C will have to wait a little longer to access potentially curative antiviral medications.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commissions (HHSC) has delayed until Jan. 1 a prescription drug formulary update that was originally scheduled to take effect Sept. 1.
Starting next year, Texas Medicaid will designate a preferred direct-acting antiviral drug option for treating hepatitis C, responding to advocacy by the Texas Medical Association and others in organized medicine to expand patient access to the drug.
An HHSC spokesperson attributed the delay to a longer-than-expected procurement process for the hepatitis C preferred drug rebate program.
Per federal rules, if pharmaceutical companies want Medicaid to cover their products, they must agree to pay rebates to state programs to offset the drug costs. Texas, along with a handful of other states, requires companies to pay additional, or supplemental, rebates to be considered a preferred drug.
Last Updated On
September 07, 2022
Originally Published On
September 07, 2022
Emma Freer
Associate Editor
(512) 370-1383