The launch of many brand-name drugs and an increased volume ofprescriptions written for Medicaid enrollees between 1997 and 2002were responsible for a doubling of Medicaid expenditures duringthis time period, according to a new report from the Agency forHealthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ). At the same time, the useof generics fell from 47% to 44%.
The launch of many brand-name drugs and an increased volume of prescriptions written for Medicaid enrollees between 1997 and 2002 were responsible for a doubling of Medicaid expenditures during this time period, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ). At the same time, the use of generics fell from 47% to 44%. According to the findings, spending increased the most for psychotherapeutic drugs, with usage of antidepressants rising 130%, to $1.91 billion. Antipsychotics were the second largest expenditure and the fastest-growing class of drugs, going up 154%, to $1.68 billion. The report will be published as a supplement in the May 2006 issue of Medical Care.
To see more Hot off the Press news articles, click here http://www.drugtopics.com/Hot+off+the+Press.
To go to the Drug Topics homepage, click here http://www.drugtopics.com.
Exploring Challenges, Opportunities for Community Pharmacists in Tobacco Cessation
April 24th 2024By addressing integration barriers associated with implementing tobacco cessation programs in the community pharmacy, community pharmacists can “significantly impact public health by increasing access to effective cessation support,” wrote investigators.