seniors and disabled enrollees , who pay a smaller share of its cost , experts and federal officials told The Washington Post .
The new hepatitis C drugs have a higher cure rate — 90 percent or higher — than previous treatments , as well as fewer harmful side effects . Some studies have shown that , despite their price tag , the drugs justify their cost based on the better quality of life they provide and the health expenses that patients avoid in the future .
Still , the drugs may not save money for Medicare , even in the long run . A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggested that only about one-quarter of the $ 65 billion needed to pay for the
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