Medicare Changes Could Have Some Patients Paying More for Drugs

Patients are affected by rising drug costs through the cost of premiums they pay for part B, and in some instances by other fees like deductibles and co-payments, notes Francis Crosson, MD, coauthor of an accompanying editorial and a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Washington, D.C. Rising drug costs can also influence out-of-pocket costs for patients with Plan D coverage.²

“Policymakers interested in reducing what Medicare and beneficiaries pay for drugs will need to decide whether to make adjustments in how Parts B and D currently work or to substantially change either or both payment processes,” Crosson says by email.

References

1. Hwang TJ, Jain N, Lauffenburger JC, et al. Analysis of proposed Medicare Part B to Part D shift with associated changes in total spending and patient cost-sharing for prescription drugs. JAMA Intern Med. 2019 Jan 14. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6417. [Epub ahead of print]
2. Crosson FJ, Christianson JB. Managing the cost of Medicare Part B drugs: Implications for the program and beneficiaries. JAMA Intern Med. 2019 Jan 14. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6146. [Epub ahead of print]