Retail drug prices drive member behavior
Although such costs are just one indicator of underlying increases in overall healthcare spending, the data shows a clear trend
RETAIL PRICES of brand name drugs continue their upward trek, taking an especially big step up the slope last year. Although such costs are just one indicator of underlying increases in overall healthcare spending, the data shows a clear trend.
According to a new report by the AARP's Public Policy Institute, prices for 217 widely used brand name drugs climbed 8.3% in 2009 even as general inflation remained negative. The increase was markedly higher than the annual rates of increase during the previous four years, which ranged between 6.0% and 7.9%.
Price increases were far from uniform, however. Among the drugs studied, those manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim and BTA Pharmaceuticals had average increases of more than 15%, while those made by Merck, Allergan and Alcon had average increases of less than 5%.
Jack Linehan of Epstein Becker Green Discusses Drug Coupons, Accumulators
July 9th 2020In this week's episode of Tuning Into The C-Suite podcast, Senior Editor Peter Wehrwein has a conversation with John "Jack" Linehan, a lawyer for Epstein Becker Green, about coupons and accumulators. Jack is an expert on drug distribution and reimbursement, and few people know as much about coupons and accumulators as he does. Peter and Jack go over some of the basics, who is advantaged and disadvantaged, and then dive into some the details on CMS regulations and how recent proposed changes to Medicaid best price rules would, if finalized, affect coupons and accumulators.
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