Alabama Medicaid Faces Complaint Against Sobriety Requirement for Hepatitis C Treatment

On May 9, 2022, AIDS Alabama and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School (CHLPI) filed a federal administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice against the Alabama Medicaid program’s requirement that people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) maintain sobriety for six months before treatment will be provided. Those in treatment for HCV must also remain sober during the treatment. The plaintiffs allege that these restrictions violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects people who are disabled due to substance use disorder.

Alabama is one of five states with six . . .