Assemblyman Zebrowski announced that the New York State Department of Health’s evaluation report touted the impact the 2013 Hepatitis C (HCV) testing law has had in its first year of implementation. The report found that the number of HCV screening tests ordered for persons born between 1945 and 1965 increased by 66% during the first year of the law (2013-2014). The 2013 HCV Screening law, sponsored by Zebrowski, required healthcare providers to offer a one-time HCV screening test to those born between 1945-65; a birth cohort most at risk to the disease.

“The results of the report demonstrate that the law is effective in getting people tested who otherwise wouldn’t. The significant increases in HCV testing attributed to this law are remarkable. This law was the first of its kind in the nation and many states have followed; I encourage State legislatures around the country to pass birth cohort testing laws to begin to get a handle on this curable disease,” said Zebrowski.

Although the report hailed the increase in the number of tests administered, it highlighted the need for additional work to improve linkage to care and access to treatment. The Department cited “data limitations” in determining how many individuals who tested positive eventually received care. The report also examined the lack of capacity for HCV treatment especially in more rural areas of the state where wait times for a doctor can exceed six months.

“While the law has made great progress in increasing awareness and testing of the disease, there is much more to be done. We need to improve the access to life saving treatment to those that need it. There are thousands of New Yorkers who need to be tested, thousands that have been tested and need to see a doctor, and thousands that have Hepatitis C that require treatment now. I will continue to ensure that we take advantage of the advances in medicine and look forward to the day where Hepatitis C is no longer the epidemic that it is today,” said Zebrowski.

The Department of Health stated that they continue to work to secure resources in order to develop a comprehensive HCV program in New York. The Hepatitis C Testing Law is set to expire in January 2020.

“New York is a model in Hepatitis C policy and we must continue to lead that progress. I am committed to working with the Governor and Legislative leaders to develop a plan to eradicate Hepatitis C within the next 20 years. I want to thank and commend DOH staff for their excellent work in both the implementation and evaluation of this critical law,” concluded Assemblyman Zebrowski.

Follow the link to see the Department of Health’s evaluation report in its entirety: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_c/docs/hcv_testing_law_evaluation.pdf