Hepatitis C is curable — and for most Kentuckians, treatment is fully covered and can be done almost entirely from home. Fresh Start Health treats hepatitis C across the Commonwealth using telehealth, with one local lab visit and medication shipped to your pharmacy. More than 95% of patients are cured in 8 to 12 weeks. Most Kentucky Medicaid and commercial insurance plans cover treatment, often at $0 out of pocket.
If you’re ready to start, check your coverage with a 60-second form or call us at (606) 225-8200. A care coordinator will verify your benefits before you spend a dollar. Learn more about our hepatitis C treatment program in Kentucky.
Hepatitis C treatment by telehealth, anywhere in Kentucky
You do not have to live near one of our clinics to be treated. Our hepatitis C program serves the entire state of Kentucky. As long as you live in Kentucky and can get to a lab one time, we can treat you. Visits happen by secure video or phone, your one round of bloodwork can be done at any Quest, LabCorp, or Fresh Start location near you, and your medication is mailed to the pharmacy of your choice.
This matters because Kentucky has one of the highest hepatitis C burdens in the country. An estimated 78,000 Kentuckians are living with hepatitis C, and the state’s infection rate is roughly twice the national average, driven heavily by Eastern Kentucky and the Appalachian region. Yet only about one in five infected Kentuckians has been cured over the past decade. Telehealth closes that gap by removing the drive, the time off work, and the long specialist wait that used to stand between patients and a cure.
How treatment works, step by step
- 1. Reach out. A 60-second form or one phone call. We verify your insurance and confirm coverage before you spend a dollar.
- 2. One lab visit. A single blood draw at any Quest, LabCorp, or Fresh Start location. We send the order to whichever is most convenient for you.
- 3. Your clinician prescribes. A Fresh Start clinician reviews your results, prescribes the right medication, and ships it to your pharmacy of choice.
- 4. Treatment and cure. One pill a day for 8 to 12 weeks, with brief video check-ins along the way. A final blood test 12 weeks after your last dose confirms the cure.
Does Kentucky Medicaid cover hepatitis C treatment?
Yes. Hepatitis C treatment is covered for Kentucky Medicaid members, and for most members it costs $0 out of pocket. All six Kentucky Medicaid managed care plans — Aetna Better Health, Anthem, Humana Healthy Horizons, Passport by Molina, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, and WellCare — use the same statewide drug list, so coverage is consistent no matter which plan you have. We handle the prior authorization paperwork; you don’t.
A few facts that surprise many Kentucky patients:
- No fibrosis or liver-damage requirement. Kentucky Medicaid does not require you to already have liver scarring to qualify for treatment.
- No sobriety requirement for first-time treatment. Since 2017, treatment-naïve Kentucky Medicaid members do not have to be sober or drug-free to start. CDC and AASLD guidelines explicitly recommend treating hepatitis C regardless of substance use status.
- No specialist referral needed. Since 2020, qualified primary care providers can prescribe hepatitis C treatment for uncomplicated cases without sending you to a gastroenterologist or hepatologist first.
Kentucky does still require prior authorization for hepatitis C medications, which is one of the most common reasons patients get stuck. That paperwork is exactly what our team manages for you, start to finish.
What if I have commercial insurance — or no insurance?
Most Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare plans cover hepatitis C treatment, usually at $0 or a low copay. We verify your specific benefits before your first appointment and walk you through any costs in advance. If you’re uninsured, we can often enroll you in Medicaid the same day or apply for the medication manufacturer’s patient assistance program, so cost does not have to stand between you and a cure.
Which medications are used, and are they safe?
Treatment uses direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) — the modern, oral-only medications that cure hepatitis C. Kentucky Medicaid’s preferred options are Mavyret (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir) and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (generic Epclusa). These are FDA-approved with an excellent safety record. Side effects are usually mild — most often fatigue or headache. Your provider reviews your full medical history and current medications before prescribing.
“Cure” is a real, measurable outcome here. Twelve weeks after your last dose, a blood test checks for sustained virologic response (SVR12). No detectable virus means the hepatitis C is gone — not just controlled.
Can I be treated if I’m using substances or on MAT?
Yes. You will not be turned away. CDC and AASLD guidelines recommend treating hepatitis C regardless of substance use, and Fresh Start specializes in caring for people in exactly this situation. Because Eastern Kentucky’s hepatitis C epidemic is closely tied to the opioid crisis, we treat hepatitis C and opioid use disorder together when that’s what a patient needs — and we can coordinate medication-assisted treatment (Suboxone, Sublocade, or Brixadi) alongside your hepatitis C cure.
Why Fresh Start Health
Fresh Start Health Centers is a federally certified Rural Health Clinic with four locations across Eastern Kentucky — Ashland, Grayson, Morehead, and Vanceburg — and a team that has been practicing in this region for years. We treat hepatitis C the way it should be treated: with the same care your primary doctor would give you, just without the drive. Unlike national virtual-only services, we are physically here in Kentucky, we accept Kentucky Medicaid, and we know the communities we serve.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get hepatitis C treatment by telehealth in Kentucky?
Yes. Our entire program is telehealth. You’ll do one round of lab work locally, and the rest happens by secure video or phone. Medication is mailed to your preferred pharmacy.
Is hepatitis C really curable?
Yes. Modern direct-acting antiviral medications cure more than 95% of cases, usually in 8 to 12 weeks. Cure means the virus is gone — not just controlled.
How much does treatment cost?
For Kentucky Medicaid members and most commercial plans, treatment costs $0 out of pocket. We verify your benefits before any charges. If you’re uninsured, we can usually enroll you in Medicaid or apply for patient assistance the same day.
Do I have to be sober to start treatment?
No. First-time treatment in Kentucky has no sobriety requirement, and we specialize in caring for people who use substances or are in recovery.
How long does treatment take?
Most patients finish medication in 8 to 12 weeks. A final blood test 12 weeks after the last dose confirms cure. Total program length is roughly 5 to 6 months from first appointment to confirmation.
Does this program serve my area?
Yes — the program serves the entire state of Kentucky. As long as you live in Kentucky and can get to a lab one time, we can treat you. Our clinics are based in Ashland, Grayson, Morehead, and Vanceburg.
Start your cure today
Hepatitis C is one of the few chronic conditions that can be completely cured — and for most Kentuckians, the cure is covered and can be done from home. Don’t let the prior authorization or the drive stand in your way; that’s our job, not yours.
Check your coverage now with a 60-second form, or call or use the chat function on this page to speak with our team. A care coordinator will reach out within one business day. You can also visit our main hepatitis C treatment page or learn about who qualifies for hepatitis C treatment in Kentucky.
A note on privacy: please share any medical details by phone at (606) 225-8200 or through our HIPAA-protected patient portal — not through a web form or email reply.