Atlanta, Georgia – A Georgia state health agency will be allotting a $24 million extra budget for the current fiscal year, and another similar amount for next year in order to afford costly hepatitis C medication in the state’s current Medicaid program.
For this year Georgia is expected to spend $14.1 million and a total of $37.9 million projected for 2016’s fiscal year in order to lengthen the duration time in between eligibility reviews regarding PeachCare and Medicaid beneficiaries. This is to adhere to the Affordable Care Act’s current requirement. These were reported during last week’s budget presentation regarding the Georgia Department of Community Health’s urgent care system specifically PeachCare and Medicaid programs and the state’s employee health plan.
Georgia’s Community Health board has approved the current extra budget requests because it can affect the effectiveness of many urgent care clinics. Current medical breakthroughs in medication like hepatitis C drugs like Sovaldi, offers a 90% cure rate for patients that are newly infected. This is way much better compared to previously available hepatitis C treatments. Unfortunately, the 12-week treatment will roughly cost $84,000 for, which is about $1,000 a day.
The Community Health board is aiming to use the extra budget in treating 800 patients with hepatitis C using the new drugs. Tim Connell, the chief financial officer of the agency reminded his board members that if every urgent care clinic has access to such drugs the agency can reach more individuals in need.
Connell also stated that the extra financial assistance can help citizens to not worry if an urgent care near me is capable of attending and treating their medical needs. It will also help the state’s current Health Benefit Plan that covers almost 650,000 local employees with a budget of $576 million. PeachCare and Medicaid, which are the state’s version of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, had a budget of almost $1.8 million last year.
Connell also mentioned that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has an intense effect on the spending capabilities of their agency. He also said that the PeachCare and Medicaid cost increase will add $100 million annually in the state funds. One major factor affecting this is the change in eligibility reviews from 6 to 12 months. The extra budget is essential because the state need to pay additional millions annually in presuming the eligibility of patients that require hospital care, as stated under the current health law.