The cost of COVID-19 treatment

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

Scripps reporter Joe St.

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

BUSINESS IN A NEW SERIES CALLED"THE REBOUND" LAS VEGAS.THERE'S CONCERN AMONG COVID-19PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES...ABOUT HOW MUCH GETTINGTREATMENT COULD COST.WITH AT LEAST ONE NEW DRUGSHOWING PROMISE...SCRIPPS REPORTER JOE ST.GEORGE LOOKS AT - WHAT YOU ORYOUR INSURANCE COMPANY MIGHT BEASKED TO PAY.AS COVID19 CONTINUES TOPARALYZE OUR LIVES INLABORATORIES ALL ACROSS THECOUNTRY...THE RACE TO FIND A CURE OR ATTHE VERY LEAST A TREATMENT ISON.GRAPHIC ONE PROMISING SOLUTIONIS REMDESIVIR DEVELOPED BYGILEAD SCIENCES INC.WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASESRECENTLY PUBLISHING"HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITHADVANCED COVID-19 AND LUNGINVOLVEMENT WHO RECEIVEDREMDESIVIR RECOVERED FASTERTHAN SIMILAR PATIENTS WHORECEIVED PLACEBO." BUT HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?SOT (34 SECONDS WE LOOKED ATTHE FAIR PRICING FROM TWODIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.) GRAPHICS DR.STEVE PEARSON IS DIRECTOR OFTHE INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL ANDECONOMIC REVIEW OUT OFBOSTONWHO SAYS $4,500DOLLARS WOULD BE THE FAIR PRICEFOR THE TREATMENT BASED ON HISTEAMS RESEARCH..WHAT WILL GILEAD CHARGE?UNCLEAR.COULD BE MORE.

COULD BE LESS..BUT THE COMPANY HAS A HISTORYOF FRUSTRATING CONSUMERS.IN 2015 THEY CHARGED $84,000FOR THEIR DRUG SOVALDI TO TREATHEPATITIS C.THAT BREAKS DOWN TO AROUND$1,000 PER PILL.VIDEO OF WHITE HOUSE/IMAGES OFWHITE HOUSE IN DROP BOX.SO FAR THE COMPANY HAS DONATEDITS ENTIRE INITIAL SUPPLY OF(SOT IT MAYBE THE TRADITIONALWAY OF LETTING A DRUG COMPANYNAME ITS PRICE AND LET THEMARKET WILL BEAR IS NOT GOINGTO BE THE SMART WAY FOR THECOUNTRY OR THE WORLD TOAPPROACH THIS) (STANDUP YOUSEE EVEN THOUGH THE NATIONALRESEARCHING CORONAVIRUSTREATEMENT TRADITIONALLY THEGOVERNMENT DOESN'T SHARE IN THEPROFITS OR SET THE PRICE.THE LAST TIME THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT MADE A MAJOR ATTEMPTTO SET THE PRICE OF ANYDRUG..WAS POST 911 AND THEANTHRAX SCARE.) 3.38 THIS DRUG DID HAVEFUNDING SUPPORT IN ITS EARLIERYEARS OF DEVELOPMENT FROM THENIH SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTHAS PARTICIPATED IN THE FUNDINGTO HELP DEVELOPMENT THISDRUG3:57 OUR TRADITIONALSYSTEM DOESN'T TAKE THAT INTOCONSIDERATION.WELL CONGRESS IS KEEPING AN EYEON THIS GRAPHIC THIS LETTER HASBEEN SENT TO THE HEALTH ANDHUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY ASKINGFOR OVERSIGHT."TAXPAYERS ARE OFTEN THE ANGELINVESTORS IN PHARMACEUTICALRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, YETTHIS IS NOT REFLECTED IN THEPRICES THEY PAY.TREATMENT.GETTING VACCINES OR GETTING THEREMDESIVER IS VERY MUCH IN THEHIGH DRUG PRICES AREN'T THEONLY CONCERN WITHIN THEHEALTHCARE SYSTEM.DR.MARTIN GAYNOR FROM CARNEGIEMELLON UNIVERSITY SAYS...MAJOR HEALTH SYSTEMS HAVE A TOOMUCH POWER AND THAT HAS LED TOA MONOPOLY.HE'S SAYS - LAWMAKERS NEED TOMAKE CHANGES THAT ALLOW FORMORE COMPETITION.FOR EXAMPLE...EXPANDING THE LAWS ON WHATNURSE PRACTITIONERS ANDPHARMACISTS CAN PERFORM.GAYNOR - SUCH THAT THOSE PEOPLECAN DO WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED TODO AND AREN'T UNNECESSARILYLIMITED.:27 WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOMEACTION ON A COUPLE OF THESETHINGS RIGHT NOW...THE CRISISHAS LED TO THIS BECAUSE IT'SALL HANDS ON DECK.GAYNOR ALSO SUGGESTS CREATINGAN AGENCY TO MONITOR THEHEALTHCARE SYSTEM...WITH ACCESS TO A NATIONAL DATAFROM PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HEALTHPLANS.WHILE WE ARE ALL STILLENCOURAGED TO STAY HOME FOR