1 / 15

HBV and HCV: America’s Hidden Epidemics

This report highlights the challenges and impacts of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States. It provides concrete strategies for federal action and emphasizes the unique opportunities through the Affordable Care Act and scientific breakthroughs.

octaviap
Download Presentation

HBV and HCV: America’s Hidden Epidemics

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. HBV and HCV: America’s Hidden Epidemics Jeffrey Levi, PhD Trust for America’s Health October 14, 2010

  2. Who We Are • Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

  3. Goals of the Report • Follow-on to IOM report • Concrete strategies for federal action • Unique opportunities right now through Affordable Care Act and scientific breakthroughs

  4. Overview of Problem • There are a number of unique challenges that must be addressed when combating the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV), including: • health complications that take decades to develop; • significant social stigmas connected to the viruses; • disproportionately impacts racial, ethnic and sexual minorities; and • infectious disease prevention strategies have traditionally been siloed.

  5. Key Findings • Nearly two percent of the U.S. population may have some form of the disease – and approximately five million of these individuals will develop a chronic form of the diseases. • An estimated 65 to 75 percent of the five million Americans currently infected with HBV or HCV do not even know they have the virus.

  6. Impacts on Diverse Populations • Of the more than five million Americans with HBV or HCV: • Baby Boomers account for two-thirds of HCV cases - and if left untreated, it could lead to a major increase in upcoming Medicare spending; • African Americans account for 22 percent of HCV cases; • Asian and Pacific Islander Americans account for 50 percent of HBV cases; and • Gay and bisexual men account for 15 percent to 25 percent of new HBV cases and are at increased risk for HCV infection.

  7. Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity • New prevention options and treatment possibilities due to Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). • Scientific breakthroughs will make treatment, vaccination easier.

  8. Key Recommendations • Tracking hepatitis to better target prevention and treatment efforts: • Build on existing HIV surveillance systems; strengthen state and local networks • Focus on tracking both cumulative cases and emerging outbreaks • Assure that emerging electronic health record system collects appropriate hepatitis-related data • Better tracking of new outbreaks

  9. Key Recommendations • HBV and HCV screening and HBV vaccinations should be the standard of care in the reformed health care system: • Screen based on risk factors and age • Make this part of initial Medicare visit and essential health benefit under health reform • Reach out to non-traditional settings • HBV vaccination should be encouraged as part of the preventive benefit under health reform and monitored through electronic health records

  10. Key Recommendations • Improve treatment by ensuring everyone who is diagnosed is linked to care and receives the standard of care: • Appropriate coverage and reimbursement for treatment • Public-private treatment guidelines updated regularly • Plans under Exchanges as well as Medicare and Medicaid required to meet treatment guidelines and have networks with qualified providers of hepatitis care • Improve referral systems • Expand access to wraparound services, perhaps through Ryan White Program

  11. Key Recommendations • Assure adherence to treatment: • Treatment requires a continuum from point of screening throughout care • Provide appropriate culturally and linguistically sensitive support services • Special consideration for marginalized populations

  12. Key Recommendations • Prevent New Infections: • Eliminate newborn HBV infections • CMS-CDC joint initiative • Eliminate health care-associated HBV and HCV infections • Promote universal HBV vaccination • Bolster prevention campaigns and public awareness

  13. Key Recommendations • Strengthen research agenda: • Single dose HBV vaccine; develop HCV vaccine; simplify treatment options; rapid tests • Funding proportionate to public health risk • NIH funding for hepatitis research is ~$150 million

  14. The cost of doing nothing • 150,000 Americans could die from liver cancer or end-state liver disease (IOM) • Medical costs for HCV patients could double over the next 20 years from $30 billion to $80 billion (Milliman) • Many of these costs will be borne by Medicare and Medicaid • A comprehensive approach that includes early diagnosis and treatment can reverse this trend

  15. Questions? • Please contact: • Dara Lieberman, Government Relations Manager dlieberman@tfah.org, 202-223-9870 x. 20 • Visit TFAH online at www.healthyamericans.org

More Related