Last week, Express Scripts released its 2018 Drug Trend Report. (Free download.)
As you will see below, drug spending is not “skyrocketing” or “soaring.” All payer types experienced extremely low growth in pharmacy benefit spending. Average net (post-rebate) drug costs declined.
These data also shed light on specialty drug spending. Greater use of specialty medications—not cost increases—was the most significant driver of spending.
The latest Express Scripts data confirm the cost and spending slowdown that I have highlighted in previous Drug Channels articles. I’ll ask again: Can someone please alert the media and our elected officials?
Meanwhile, the report dodges crucial questions about the effect on patients. Overall drug spending is growing very slowly—but the sickest Americans are stuck paying ever-higher out-of-pocket costs for drugs with net prices that are flat or declining. That's worse than getting an empty box of chocolates for Valentine's Day.
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