Prices for and Spending on Specialty Drugs in Medicare Part D and Medicaid
Presentation
Presentation by Anna Anderson-Cook, Jared Maeda, and Lyle Nelson (all of CBO’s Health, Retirement, and Long-Term Analysis Division) at a seminar hosted by the Congressional Research Service.
This presentation focuses on specialty drugs, which typically treat chronic, complex, or rare conditions, frequently have high prices, and may require special handling or patient monitoring. The presentation provides information on the prices of such drugs, net of rebates and discounts, in Medicare Part D and Medicaid over the 2010–2015 period; the contribution of specialty drugs to the growth of total drug spending in Medicare Part D and Medicaid; and the average annual spending on and out-of-pocket costs for specialty drugs among Medicare Part D enrollees who use such drugs.
