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Information for Health Care Providers
Maine CDC Health Advisory
December 26, 2023
COVID-19 Outpatient Treatment Commercialization and Access
COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities and continues to cause hospitalizations and deaths. Access to timely testing and outpatient treatment is crucial to reducing severe disease. Two oral antiviral drugs, Paxlovid and Lagevrio, previously freely available, are now commercially available. Most people will still be able to access treatment in a timely manner at pharmacies or health care facilities. Uninsured or underinsured people may face new barriers to treatment access, and new patient assistance programs are now available to support these populations. Providers should become familiar with these changes to COVID-19 antiviral access and insurance coverage to support their patients and help ensure timely care. Facilities offering COVID-19 antiviral drugs to their patients should order from commercial distributors now and should prepare to assist all patients with obtaining COVID-19 treatment via multiple pathways.
