HepB.org Informed 74 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE HEPATITIS B FOUNDATION Fall 2018 Inside this issue Hepatitis B Foundation Launching 2 3 HepNew B Vice Cure Presidents Campaign Named Effort to IMPROVE Patient Access Grows Momentum to Hepatitis B Medications 5 Hepatitis B Foundation to Provide Resources for African 5 Immigrant Communities 7 Focus on Hepatitis Delta or many people with chronic hepatitis B, Provider Profile: Dr. Su Wang Fthe cost of antiviral medications is a major barrier to treatment. Even those who have prescription coverage can face co-pays that put page 6 medication out of reach. 6th Hep B United Summit While U.S. health insurance through “adverse tiering” to discourage plans must cover people living with Florida’s 2018 healthcare marketplace. hepatitis B, many plans place hepatitis OurQualified research Health revealed Plans thatsold commonthrough their plans. The complaint was based B medications in a category that hepatitis B medications were placed on people living with HIV from buying dramatically increases the co-pays for the highest two tiers in the majority of available in 2014 and 2015, and found those drugs. Although current laws the plans. These tiers typically required thaton Florida four of Qualified the insurance Health plans Plans they protect individuals with pre-existing patients to meet deductibles between conditions including hepatitis B, from $2,500 and $6,750 before allowing highest tier, leading to inordinately discriminatory practices by health highreviewed co-payments placed all and HIV co-insurance drugs on the for insurance companies, these prescription drugs, even generics. This over-pricing medications used in the treatment of pricing practices have effectively made ofcost-sharing certain drugs benefits by placing for any them hepatitis in a B many insurance plans unaffordable for higher tier, called “adverse tiering,” acts people living with hepatitis B. as a deterrent for people with chronic HIV and AIDS. The practice was found When health insurers design plans, conditions from buying a health plan, to be discriminatory by the Department they assign each prescription drug and can be considered discriminatory of Health and Human Service’s Office to a price “tier.” A low-cost generic against pre-existing conditions. revisedfor Civil toRights. be more The affordable, insurers were but thisfined antibiotic may be a Tier 1 while a “adverseand the drug tiering” tiers persists for HIV nationwidedrugs were for new, brand-name drug is assigned to hepatitis B and C drugs. To fight these practices, The AIDS a pricier Tier 4 or 5. The Hepatitis B Continues on page 3 » Foundation recently reviewed hepatitis FloridaInstitute against and the insurance National companiesHealth Law B prescription coverage for Silver-Level Program (NHeLP) filed complaints in that inflated their HIV drug prices The Hepatitis B Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. Hepatitis B Foundation and Baruch S. Blumberg Institute Improved Patient Access, continued… Name New Vice Presidents for Research Affairs, 3805 Easton Road Filing a Hepatitis B Drug « Continues from page 1 email at [email protected] to share their Institutional Advancement, and Public Health and Programs Pricing Complaint www.hepb.orgDoylestown, [email protected] PA 18902 Our research uncovered additional story. he Hepatitis B Foundation and the Baruch S. Community College Foundation for 13 years, Phone: (215) 489-4900 The Hepatitis B Foundation is a national T during which she built the college’s major nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a consumer protection laws that apply Who can file a complaint? that Ju-Tao Guo, MD has been named vice gifts, corporate grants, annual fund, and donor cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide through whenbarriers hepatitis to hepatitis B treatments B treatment. and otherIn to insuranceIn addition, plans there purchased are federal on the Anyone can file a complaint at president,Blumberg research Institute affairs, are pleasedJean Holmes to announce, MBA relations programs. She has been deeply research, education and patient advocacy. drugsaddition are to placed these onfinancial high tiers, barriers, this marketplace, as well as Medicare and any time. You do not have to be a has joined the organization as vice president, involved as a volunteer in her community, Board of Directors often requires prior authorization, Medicaid. We encourage patients with hepatitis B patient or a purchaser/ institutional advancement, and Chari Cohen, serving on numerous committees with the Chairman – Joel Rosen, Esq President – Timothy Block, PhD quantity limits, or the use of specialty one of these insurance plans, who holder of the insurance plan to file DrPH, MPH has been named vice president, Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce and Vice President – Catharine Williams pharmacies, which further discourage are facing high costs for medication, an administrative complaint with public health and programs. Greater BucksMont Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer – Joseph Hediger your state Bureau of Insurance or and currently serves on the board of directors Secretary – Janine Witte Stanley Broadbent the case of Florida, area coverage also the federal civil rights office. for the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County. A Nathaniel Brown, MD users from accessing treatment. In Theto file Foundation, complaints in with collaboration their state’s researchIn his newundertaken position, member of the Association of Fundraising Carol Brosgart, MD How do I file the complaint? Loren Danzis, Esq in Florida, Blue Cross Blue Shield is the Health Insurance Commissioner. byDr. scientistsGuo will oversee at the all Craig Esterly Each state’s Bureau of Insurance poses an issue. In 21 of the 67 counties and a template for consumers and with them as a mentor and has been a Anthony Ford-Hutchinson, PhD website should have a portal Professionals since 2005, she has participated David Gruber, CPA additional 22 counties, only two carriers with NHeLP, has created instructions Raman Kapur only carrier offering coverage. In an for filing a complaint. Usually Blumberg Institute. at LaSalle. Thomas Shenk, PhD offer coverage. Thus, while some plans which can be found at hepb.org/ as the W. Thomas organizations to use to file complaints, you can copy and paste the Dr. Guo has served conference presenter for the Nonprofit Center Walter Tsou, MD, MPH offer better coverage and cost-sharing overpricing. Consumers will have to As vice president, Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP completed complaint into a form public health and Wayne Yetter, MBA do some research on the marketplace’s on the website, or you can email Ju-Tao Guo, MD London Distinguished Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer: a limited ability to choose the best plan website to discover the drug prices the complaint to the Bureau of Professor and Chairman Louis P. Kassa, III, MPA for theirspecific needs. medications, patients have in their region, but they can help end Experimental Therapeutics at Baruch S. will be responsible Vice President, Public Health and Programs: Insurance. of Department of forprograms, building Dr. and Cohen Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH The Hepatitis B Foundation is discrimination and bring down the For detailed instructions on medical training in Lanzhou University School expanding programs Vice President, Institutional Advancement: working to change these practices rapidly-escalating drug prices found in Jean Holmes, MBA researching pricing and filing a ofBlumberg Medicine Institute in China since and 2015.postdoctoral He received training designed to promote Co-Founder and Senior Advisor: for hepatitis B medications, but we many health plans. The Foundation can complaint, visit www.hepb.org/ disease awareness, and Joan M. Block, RN, BSN need your help to gather data and Special Advisors: overpricing or email [email protected]. support immunization Bob Bowman, PhD document cases to identify areas with Dr. Christoph Seeger at Fox Chase Cancer Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH and treatment efforts, Gang Chen, MD, PhD where we can be most effective at youalso shopassist for you health in filing. insurance on the Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Guo established his Eddie Cheung, MD Even if you don’t file a complaint, if improving the quality of life for those affected Nadine Shiroma marketplace, take time to thoroughly research laboratory in 2004 in the Department by hepatitis B worldwide. Medical Director – Robert Gish, MD research how much the plan will charge beenof Microbiology working on and the Immunology, molecular pathogenesis Drexel Scientific and Medical Advisory Board medicationchanging policy. are encouraged Patients who to arecontact having for antivirals to protect your rights and andUniversity antiviral College research of Medicine. of hepatitis Dr. viruses,Guo has Harvey Alter, MD difficulty affording their hepatitis B Foundation for 17 years, during which she Timothy Block, PhD your wallet. hasDr. planned, Cohen implementedhas been with and the evaluatedHepatitis B Carol Brosgart, MD Nathaniel Brown, MD past thirty years. community programs and research projects the Foundation at 215-489-4900 or via flaviviruses and human coronaviruses for the Francis Chisari, MD Jean Holmes, focusing on hepatitis B and liver cancer. Her Raymond Dwek, DPhil, FRS Anthony Ford-Hutchinson, PhD MBA, joined the research focuses