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 Cultural Competency Health Care Workforce
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Health Resources and Research
| NCSL Programs | Access | Cost & Quality | Diseases & Conditions | Health Insurance | Women, Children & Adolescents | Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare & SSI |
| Pharmaceuticals | Providers & Facilities | Public Health & Prevention | Special Topics |
Overview
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Prescription drugs continue as one of the more active health policy issues in 2013. Americans obtained an estimated 3.8 billion retail prescriptions in 2011, which is about 12 per person on average in the United States. Sixty percent of all Americans take a prescription drug in any given year, and more than 90 percent of those over age 65 do. Drug therapy is often the most efficient method to treat many illnesses, and can prevent more costly and time-consuming treatment in a hospital, or phsician or specialist office.
NCSL has followed the state aspects of these issues for a number of years.
Back in 2007, researchers predicted that prescription drug spending would grow at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent until 2016. However, for 2009-2011, actual annual growth in drug spending slowed drastically. A federally sponsored annual study documented annual growth of prescription drug spending at 2.9 percent, lower than any other major health care sector and the lowest level in 45 years.
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Implementation of Part D has increased prescription drug use among beneficiaries who previously had limited or no drug coverage. However, the expected increase as a result of Part D is being offset by a deceleration in drug price growth. - (National Health Spending In 2007: Slower Drug Spending Contributes To Lowest Rate Of Overall Growth Since 1998 - Health Affairs, released 1/5/09.
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In 2012, about 80 percent of all prescription drugs dispensed in the United States were generics -- a 29 percent increase from 2005. That is due in part to patent expirations for several brand-name drugs.
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As of mid 2010, 38 states had some type of enacted state pharmaceutical assistance law. Most use state funds to help pay for a portion of the cost of pharmaceuticals for eligible residents who meet age and income criteria. Some states also have established cost-sharing features including co-payments, annual enrollment fees, or monthly limits.
Other states are operating or authorizing broader discount programs aimed at assisting people lacking private insurance, or even the general consuming public. In separate actions, all 50 states have adjusted Medicaid pharmaceutical policy in the past eight years. NCSL now has more than40 reports and presentations on pharmaceuticals, most of which are online.
-2013
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| ©2013 National Conference of State Legislatures. All Rights Reserved. |
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