Louisiana health officials say the state is moving closer to adopting a new method for getting its hands on the expensive drugs used to battle hepatitis C.
Governor John Bel Edwards calls the curable, but deadly infectious disease a public health crisis in the state. The Advocate reports that 35,000 people in Louisiana's Medicaid program have hep C, yet only 384 were treated last year.
The state is looking to partner with pharmaceutical companies by way of an innovative "subscription model" that takes state funds already allocated to hep C treatment in exchange for five years of unlimited access to the needed medication.
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