Caremark, 2009 TrendsRx Report, 2009.
Based on Caremark data collected in 2008 about prescription prices and utilization, this report discusses drivers of prescription drug cost patterns. It charts Caremark’s annual growth while providing estimates and outlooks for the prescription drug market in 2009.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditures
These databases of national health expenditures record spending for health care in the United States from 1960 through 2008. The databases organize this information according to the type of service and the source of funding, and include estimates of national health spending on prescription medicines.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs, 2009.
This section provides information about the Medicare-approved drug discount programs, as well other public and private programs offering discounted or free prescription drugs. It also features a searching tool for finding programs according to an individual’s location, insurance, and financial situation.
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs, http://www.crbestbuydrugs.org/
This online resource compares prescription drugs based on efficacy, price, and safety. The site is designed to help consumers work with their physicians to identify the drugs that are most effective and affordable.
Express Scripts, Drug Trend Report, 2008.
This annual report from pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, discusses trends in prescription costs and utilization, as well as benefit design.
Families USA, Sticker Shock: Rising Prescription Drug Prices for Seniors, June 2004.
This report describes the results of a price survey of thirty top brand-name drugs over a period of three years.
Families USA, The Medicare Drug Benefit: How Much Will You Pay?, April 2009.
Presents tables that assist in estimating personal prescription drugs costs under the Medicare drug benefit, including those enrolled in Medicaid.
Families USA, No Bargain: Medicare Drug Plans Deliver High Prices, January 2007.
Study presents an analysis of drug prices that Part D proposed to charge for the 20 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors for each of the plans offered by the five largest Part D insurers compared to the prices secured by the VA.
Gross D, Schondelmeyer S, & Raetzman S. Trends in Manufacturer Prices of Prescription Drugs Used by Older Americans, AARP Policy & Research, Updated Quarterly.
These AARP Public Policy Institute reports present the results of studies of changes in manufacturers’ prescription drug list prices for roughly 200 brand name and 75 generic prescription drugs most widely used by Americans age 50 and over from 2004-2006.
Heffler S et al. National Health Expenditure Projections 2004-2014, February 2005.
Based on past National Health Expenditures data through 2003, the authors project future health care spending in the U.S. for the years 2004-2014, including drug spending and sources of coverage.
IMS Health, Projecting Future Drug Expenditures - 2009, Updated Annually.
This report projects drug expenditure trends for the following year and discusses the factors likely to influence them.
Kaiser Family Foundation, Resources on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.
This is a collection of Kaiser Family Foundation resources, information, and background materials for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. Highlights from this collection include:
Medicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: A Comparison of PDPs Offering Basic and Enhanced Benefits, December 2009.
This Part D Data Spotlight examines key differences between basic and enhanced Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans, including monthly premiums, cost sharing, and gap coverage. It is one in a series examining the 2010 Part D plan offerings.
Low-Income Assistance Under the Medicare Drug Benefit, December 2009.
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare drug benefit and the additional subsidies available to certain eligible low-income beneficiaries.
Medicare Advantage 2010 Spotlights: Plan Availability and Premiums, November 2009.
This spotlight examines changes in the availability and premiums of private Medicare Advantage options for Medicare beneficiaries in 2010 as the annual open enrollment period begins
Medicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: The Coverage Gap, November 2009.
This data spotlight examines the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole," in Medicare stand-alone drug plans available in 2010. The spotlight is one in a series analyzing key aspects of the Medicare Part D drug plans that will be available to beneficiaries in 2010.
The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit - An Updated Fact Sheet, November 2009.
This updated fact sheet includes the latest information and data about the Medicare Drug Benefit, including a breakdown of the standard benefit, enrollment data and an update on additional low-income assistance.
Examining Sources of Supplemental Insurance and Prescription Drug Coverage Among Medicare Beneficiaries: Findings from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 2007, August 2009.
This chartpack presents new information on the sources of supplemental and prescription drug coverage among Medicare beneficiaries in 2007, the most recent year for which national data are available.
Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plan Tracker
This online resource provides information about private plans participating in the Medicare Advantage program and the Medicare prescription drug program.
Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts.
This website provides state-level data on over 450 health issues, includes prescription drug utilization by state and information about state pharmaceutical assistance programs.
Medco, 2009 Drug Trend Report, May 2009.
This report discusses Medco’s spending growth with respect to its clients. It identifies the categories of drugs and medications where growth was concentrated, discussing drug utilization growth and the role of specialty drugs. It also gives the outlook for the prescription drug industry over the next three years.
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
MEPS is a nationally representative survey that collects data on the health services that Americans use and their costs. MEPS data is available for public use, and several issue briefs on prescription drug expenditures are available on the website.
National Conference for State Legislatures Resource Center.
This website contains links regarding state-level prescription drug concerns, such as the state “clawback” on Medicaid spending for dual eligibles and state-level prescription drug trends.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, General Resources:
Pharmaceutical Industry Profile, 2009.
This report provides data on pharmaceutical companies’ spending on research and development (R&D). It discusses the role of R&D in medical innovation, global health, and medical treatment outcomes.
What Goes Into the Cost of Prescription Drugs?, June 2005.
This resource discusses major questions about prescription pricing and manufacturer profits, from the point of view of pharmaceutical companies.
Public Opinion
Kaiser Family Foundation, 2009 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefit Survey, September 2009.
This benchmark annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing policies and other relevant information.
Kaiser Family Foundation, Public and Physician Views of Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising, May 2008.
This spotlight examines the public's familiarity with prescription drug advertising, their general opinions of these ads, and their experiences talking to doctors about drugs they saw advertised. It also explores these topics from the doctors’ point of view. The spotlight compiles and analyzes public opinion data from Kaiser surveys and other sources.
Kaiser Family Foundation, USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Survey: The Public on Prescription Drugs and Pharmaceutical Companies, March 2008.
Designed and analyzed jointly by the three partners, this USA Today/Kaiser/Harvard survey provides a comprehensive look at Americans’ views on, and experiences with, prescription drugs and the pharmaceutical industry, including drug costs, advertisements, safety issues, government regulation and medical research.
Kaiser Family Foundation, Voices of Beneficiaries: Medicare Part D Insights and Observations One Year Later, December 2006.
This December 2006 report describes the views and experiences of 35 Medicare beneficiaries under the new drug benefit in advance of the 2007 open enrollment period. It is based on one-on-one structured interviews with a diverse group of Medicare beneficiaries conducted in four cities.