People undergoing hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment may face a wide range of copay costs, which for some may run into the tens of thousands of dollars, reports MedPage Today.

At the American College of Gastroenterology’s annual meeting in Las Vegas, Susan Lee, PharmD, of the Hofstra Northwell Physician Partners system in Manhasset, New York, presented findings from an analysis of 300 patients treated for hep C there between October 2014 and September 2016.

Some individuals paid no copays, while others paid as much as $27,000 total. The average total copay cost was $320 for the 13 different combinations of hep C drugs the individuals received.

Medicare plans tended to have the highest copays, at an average of $890 all told.

One in four of the overall group received some form of copay assistance, through manufacturers’ coupons, foundations that receive funding from pharmaceutical companies or private charities. These individuals paid between $0 and $60 in out-of-pocket expenses. Among those not receiving any such assistance, the average copay was $428.

To read the MedPage Today article, click here.