Calculate the annual cost (which isn't $18-$29 billion, that's the one time cost to cure everyone in CA with it) to cure a portion of the population in CA that has Hep C. Most likely we're talking $3-$5 billion per year.
Calculate the savings that curing those people produces over time (1, 5, 10, 20 years).
I'd be willing to bet the math works out in favor of spending $84,000 one time.
> I'd be willing to bet the math works out in favor of spending $84,000 one time.
I'd love for the state to announce ahead of time how much they would pay for, say, a cure for diabetes. Have them calculate what the NPV is for a lifetime of diabetes treatment. Publish that figure.
Then some drug company can show up with a cure, charge 90% of that figure, and we can see people whine that the drug company is costing the state money.
Calculate the savings that curing those people produces over time (1, 5, 10, 20 years).
I'd be willing to bet the math works out in favor of spending $84,000 one time.