There’s a brand-new drug to treat Hepatitis C, but only a small percentage of patients enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program are receiving it.

The drug Sovaldi is supposed to work quicker and with fewer side effects than other medications that treat Hepatitis C. But those benefits come at a cost, up to $150,000 per patient. That’s why only the sickest people enrolled in the AHCCCS program receive the drug, about 180 of the 18,000 Hepatitis C patients.

Spokesperson Monica Coury said the program does pay for plenty of pricey medications and treatments.

"But Sovaldi is so incredibly expensive beyond that, that it really shocks the conscience," Coury said. "So there really should be a different discussion about why is that drug so expensive."

This summer, the U.S. Senate began an investigation into the cost of Sovaldi, which is significantly cheaper in other countries. Hepatitis C is an infectious and sometimes fatal disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s the leading cause of liver transplants in this country.