Pharmacy benefits manager Prime Therapeutics will cover both Gilead Sciences’ Harvoni and AbbVie’s Viekira Pak for hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients on its insurance formularies, Bidness Etc reports.
Prime’s decision to cover both drugs marks a change in the pricing competition between the pharmaceutical companies. Since December 2014, Gilead and AbbVie have been offering steep hep C drug discounts to benefits managers across the country in exchange for exclusive coverage under their plans.
However, apparently, both drug makers offered Prime such substantial price cuts for their new HCV treatments that it made more financial sense to cover both.
Prime covers 25 million Americans across 23 states via Blue Shield and Blue Cross plans. So far, the company is keeping quiet about how big of a deal they’re getting.
Before discounts, the list price of Gilead’s Harvoni is $94,500 for a 12-week course of treatment. AbbVie’s Viekira Pak regimen costs $83,319 for a course of the same duration.
Prime Therapeutics Gives Priority to Harvoni and Viekira Pak
Comments
Comments