New Michigan Medicaid HCV Formulary Coverage Announced
The nation's largest independent specialty pharmacy announces that Michigan Medicaid now covers treatments for select patients with the hepatitis C virus.
FLINT, Mich., March 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) announced today that Michigan Medicaid's hepatitis C formulary has expanded, effective March 1, 2016.
The state's Medicaid program will now cover direct-acting antiviral drugs for the people most severely affected by hepatitis C: those with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services decided to begin providing coverage for the drugs upon recommendation of its Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Antiviral drugs that can be covered include SOVALDI® (sofosbuvir), HARVONI® (ledipasvir / sofosbuvir), DAKLINZA® (daclatasvir), TECHNIVIE® (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir) and VIEKIRA PAK® (ombitasvir / paritaprevir / ritonavir; dasabuvir).
To learn more about Diplomat's hepatitis program, click here.
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an infectious disease that causes inflammation of the liver, which can lead to diminished liver function or liver failure. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 3.5 million Americans are infected with HCV.
"This is an important expansion of health care services in Michigan and a milestone for many people living here," said Phil Hagerman, Diplomat CEO and chairman. "At Diplomat, we have used our expertise to develop a program specifically designed to navigate the complexities of hepatitis C therapy and allow pharmacists and providers to collaborate—providing the highest level of care."
Diplomat's hepatitis Area of Excellence provides the following services:
- 24/7 support
- Adherence tools
- Financial assistance
- Reliable delivery
- Patient advocacy
"Our specially trained care team includes our dedicated patient care coordinators and pharmacists to manage all your services," Hagerman said. "Diplomat's nurses and pharmacists are always available for consultations, including medication counseling, questions about hepatitis, and side-effect management, to help you take your medications as prescribed by your doctor and support you throughout treatment."
As a teammate in care, Diplomat works directly with patients to help them understand their hepatitis C treatment, secure prior authorization and access third-party funding assistance. A pharmacist is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for clinical consultations or to answer patients' questions.
The prescriptions will be available through Medicaid prior authorization to all eligible beneficiaries enrolled in Michigan Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan, Children's Special Health Care Services and other waiver programs.
A patient's doctor can obtain prior authorization by submitting a request form, located here.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events or our future financial or operating performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information. These statements are qualified by important risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those forecasted or indicated by such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, you should review Diplomat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including "Risk Factors" in Diplomat's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as may be required by any applicable laws, Diplomat assumes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date hereof or the earlier date specified herein, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
About Diplomat
Diplomat (NYSE: DPLO) serves patients and physicians in all 50 states. Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, the company focuses on medication management programs for people with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, specialized infusion therapy and many other serious or long-term conditions. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: "Take good care of patients, and the rest falls into place." Today, that tradition continues—always focused on improving patient care and clinical adherence. For more information visit www.diplomat.is. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and like us on Facebook.
CONTACT:
Kali Lucas, Public Relations Coordinator
810.768.9580 | [email protected]
Valarie Franklin, PharmD, Manager,
Hepatitis/HIV Center of Excellence
810.768.9163 | [email protected]
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SOURCE Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc.
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