The cost-effectiveness of birth-cohort screening for hepatitis C antibody in U.S. primary care settings

In the United States, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is most prevalent among adults born from 1945 through 1965, and approximately 50% to 75% of infected adults are unaware of their infection.

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of birth-cohort screening.

Cost-effectiveness simulation.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U.S. Census, Medicare reimbursement schedule, and published sources.

Adults born from 1945 through 1965 with 1 or more visits to a primary care provider annually.

Lifetime.

Societal, health care.

One-time antibody test of 1945-1965 birth cohort.

Numbers of cases that were identified and treated and that achieved a sustained viral response; liver disease and death from HCV; medical and productivity costs; quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs); incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Compared with the status quo, birth-cohort screening identified 808,580 additional cases of chronic HCV infection at a screening cost of $2874 per case identified. Assuming that birth-cohort screening was followed by pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN+R) for treated patients, screening increased QALYs by 348,800 and costs by $5.5 billion, for an ICER of $15,700 per QALY gained. Assuming that birth-cohort screening was followed by direct-acting antiviral plus PEG-IFN+R treatment for treated patients, screening increased QALYs by 532,200 and costs by $19.0 billion, for an ICER of $35,700 per QALY saved.

The ICER of birth-cohort screening was most sensitive to sustained viral response of antiviral therapy, the cost of therapy, the discount rate, and the QALY losses assigned to disease states.

Empirical data on screening and direct-acting antiviral treatment in real-world clinical settings are scarce.

Birth-cohort screening for HCV in primary care settings was cost-effective.

Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.