She added that she will collect data on the impact of this move on individual hospitals in communities to share with the Committee. In addition, the cost with regard to uncompensated care should go down as more adults enroll in the United States Medicaid program. That is the reasoning behind OSPB's discussions with HCFA pertaining to the DSH program. State funds for uncompensated care are distributed to the State, counties, and private hospitals. Mrs. Johnson assumed the Chair.
Current treatment is relegated to two very expensive medications.
He indicated that most people do not know or appreciate the serious health care problems faced in the prison system. Dr. Lutz noted that a few months ago, several states conducted studies in the prison system to determine instances of Hepatitis C. Texas came close to 40 percent and California had 30 some percent. Arizona embarked on a study testing approximately 600 men and women and found the prevalence to be about 31 percent. He indicated that there are qualifiers at ADC as to whether a prisoner is a recipient of the two medications. There are a considerable number of contraindications and a significant amount of adverse affects.