More than 100,000 Michiganders are known to be infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). National estimates indicate that only 50% of persons impacted by the virus are aware of their infection, suggesting prevalence of HCV in Michigan could be upwards of 200,000. All-oral HCV treatment regimens, called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), can cure HCV infection in 8-12 weeks; however, few persons diagnosed with HCV have had access to these life-saving medications.
The MDHHS We Treat Hep C initiative aims to eliminate HCV among Michigan Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries by removing barriers to curing HCV:
- When prescribing Mavyret®, prior authorization, a specialist prescriber, submission of a liver fibrosis score and sobriety are no longer required.
- When prescribing non-preferred HCV DAAs, a specialist prescriber, submission of a liver fibrosis score and sobriety use are no longer required. Complete the standard Medicaid prior authorization form.
Any provider with prescriptive authority can cure hepatitis C. Free clinical consultation programs and simplified treatment guidelines are available at Michigan.gov/WeTreatHepC. It’s time to eliminate hepatitis C!
To learn more about the work providers are doing to eliminate hepatitis C in Michigan, view the We Treat Hep C clinician newsletter.
