Medicare Rx drug discounts holding steady, says PCMA
Thirty days into the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, discounts on the top 25 drugs prescribed to seniors and the disabled are holding steady, with an average 35% savings on drugs purchased at a retail pharmacy compared with those purchased by cash-paying customers and 46% for drugs purchased through the mail-service pharmacy option, according to a new analysis of Medicare drug prices from the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). "These data are an encouraging sign for beneficiaries paying Part D deductibles or concerned about their drugs costs in the donut hole as well as the overall costs of the Part D program," said PCMA president Mark Merritt.
Medicare Rx drug discounts holding steady, says PCMA
Thirty days into the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, discounts on the top 25 drugs prescribed to seniors and the disabled are holding steady, with an average 35% savings on drugs purchased at a retail pharmacy compared with those purchased by cash-paying customers and 46% for drugs purchased through the mail-service pharmacy option, according to a new analysis of Medicare drug prices from the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). "These data are an encouraging sign for beneficiaries paying Part D deductibles or concerned about their drugs costs in the donut hole as well as the overall costs of the Part D program," said PCMA president Mark Merritt. The analysis of Medicare drug prices is based on prices posted on Medicare's Prescription Drug Plan Finder for the top 25 drug products most commonly used by seniors in five national prescription drug plans (PDPs). The analysis of drug prices is based on PDP-negotiated prices of as of Feb. 3. The full report, titled "Medicare Drug Discounts Real & Holding Steady," is available on PCMA's Web site at http://www.pcmanet.org/.
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