The Cost of Treatment: Government Looking at Addressing Costs

There's concern among COVID-19 patients and their families about how much getting treatment could cost.

With at least one new drug showing promise Joe St.

George looks at what you or your insurance company might be asked to pay.

COVID-19 PATIENTS AND THEIRFAMILIES ARE CONCERENED ABOUTJUST HOW MUCH IT WILLCOST TO BE TREATED FOR THEILLNESS.WITH AT LEAST ONE NEW DRUGSHOWING PROMISE... JOE SAINTGEORGE TAKES A LOOKAT WHAT YOU... OR YOUR INSURANCECOMPANY... COULD BE ASKED TOPAY.AS COVID19 CONTINUES TO PARALYZEOUR LIVES.IN LABORATORIES ALL ACROSS THECOUNTRY... THE RACE TO FIND ACURE OR AT THE VERY LEAST ATREATMENT IS ON.GRAPHICONE PROMISING SOLUTION ISREMDESIVIR DEVELOPED BY GILEADSCIENCES INC.WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASESRECENTLY PUBLISHING"HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITHADVANCED COVID-19 AND LUNGINVOLVEMENT WHO RECEIVEDREMDESIVIRRECOVERED FASTER THAN SIMILARPATIENTS WHO RECEIVED PLACEBO.

"BUT HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?SOTGRAPHICSDR. STEVE PEARSON IS DIRECTOR OFTHE INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL ANDECONOMIC REVIEW OUT OFBOSTON.WHO SAYS $4,500 DOLLARSWOULD BE THE FAIR PRICE FOR THETREATMENT BASED ON HIS TEAMSRESEARCH..

WHAT WILL GILEADCHARGE?

UNCLEAR.

COULD BE MORE.COULD BE LESS..BUT THE COMPANY HAS A HISTORY OFFRUSTRATING CONSUMERS.

IN 2015THEY CHARGED $84,000 FOR THEIRDRUG SOVALDITO TREAT HEPATITIS C.

THATBREAKS DOWN TO AROUND $1,000 PERPILL.VIDEO OF WHITE HOUSE/IMAGES OFWHITE HOUSE IN DROP BOX.SO FAR THE COMPANY HAS DONATEDITS ENTIRE INITIAL SUPPLY OF THEDRUG TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTWHO WILL DECIDE WHERE IT CAN BEUSED.

BUT EVENTUALLY THAT WILLCHANGE.

PEARSON SAYS THE COUNTRYSHOULD WATCH MORE CLOSELY WHATHAPPENS NEXT.3.38 THIS DRUG DID HAVE FUNDINGSUPPORT IN ITS EARLIER YEARS OFDEVELOPMENT FROM THENIH SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTHAS PARTICIPATED IN THE FUNDINGTO HELP DEVELOPMENT THISDRUG.3:57 OUR TRADITIONAL SYSTEMDOESN'T TAKE THAT INTOCONSIDERATION.WELL CONGRESS IS KEEPING AN EYEON THISGRAPHICTHIS LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO THEHEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESSECRETARY ASKING FOR OVERSIGHT."TAXPAYERS ARE OFTEN THE ANGELINVESTORS IN PHARMACEUTICALRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, YETTHIS IS NOT REFLECTED IN THEPRICES THEY PAY.

DEMOCRATICCONGRESSMAN JASON CROW.

2:58 IFCOST BECOMES A BARRIER TO PEOPLEGETTING THE TREATMENT.

GETTINGVACCINES ORGETTING THE TREATMENT THEN WEARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THISPUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITHREMDESIVER IS VERY MUCH IN THEHANDS OF GILEAD..WITH THE NATIONWATCHING.IN WASHINGTON IM JOE ST.

GEORGE