Louisiana officials are proposing a Netflix-like subscription plan for certain prescription drugs, in which the state would gain access to unlimited treatments for hepatis C for its Medicaid and prison populations in exchange for fixed, steady payments to drugmakers.
Ideally, the state would end up paying far less than list price for thousands of treatments, which it can’t afford under the current pricing system.
As odd as it sounds, the “unlimited streaming” payment model could appeal to drugmakers looking for a dependable, long-term revenue stream.
A spokesman for Gilead Sciences, which produces some of the leading hepatitis C treatments, told NPR last month, “I think there is a pretty good meeting of the minds between Gilead and the state of Louisiana. Ideally, we’d have something in place this year.”
(h/t Axios)