Curious about the future of healthcare costs? In the latest news brief , we reveal how the soaring popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could impact your organization's budget by 2025. Discover key insights into rising pharmacy costs, employer strategies and what it means for your benefits plan.   [Download the report]   Quick summary  The report underscores the significant shift in pharmacy cost allocations as more individuals seek access to these medications. With the increasing acceptance of Ozempic and Wegovy as part of weight management strategies, organizations face new challenges in managing benefit costs.   By equipping yourself with these insights, you empower your organization to ascertain the most effective path forward amidst evolving healthcare landscapes. Prepare for the future by understanding present dynamics and reshaping your benefits strategy accordingly.   Contact us for additional information  If you ha...

Prescription drug cost drivers Although prescription drug spending has historically been a small proportion of national healthcare costs compared to hospital and physician services, it has grown rapidly in recent years. According to CMS, prescription drug spending increased 7.8% to $378.0 billion in 2021, up 3.7% from the previous year. A recent study found that “In 2022, overall pharmaceutical expenditures in the US grew 9.4% compared to 2021, for a total of $633.5 billion. Utilization (a 5.9% increase), price (a 1.7% increase) and new drugs (a 1.8% increase) drove this increase.” These results illustrate increasing prescription drug spending, especially with new, specialty and cancer drugs. According to the same study, employers will have to watch for a predicted rise of 6% to 8%. A multitude of factors led to this steady rise in prescription drug pricing, including the following. An influx of specialty drugs Specialty medications account for a smaller portion of U.S. prescriptions...

Did you know that global spending on prescription drugs will reach nearly $1.8 trillion by 2026?  The United States alone will spend up to $715 billion, according to the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science . Download a helpful infographic that covers the rising cost of prescription drugs. Plus, get six strategies on how you can mitigate the financial burden of these rising costs. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us today ! Our team of experts can help you navigate employee benefit plans and their associated components.

A 2021 CDC study found that 8.2% of Americans aged 18 to 64 skipped, delayed or reduced the amount of their prescription medications because of cost concerns. The National Health Interview Survey revealed that to reduce expenses, 9.2 million adults were not taking medication as prescribed. According to the report, about 60% of adults age 18 and older took at least one prescription medication, with 36% taking three or more. Out-of-pocket costs on retail drugs rose 4.8% to $63 billion. Since high costs limit many Americans’ ability to take their medications as prescribed, these patients may require additional treatment. 6 prescription drug cost key takeaways While this study was conducted in 2021, key takeaways are still applicable today due to rising prescription drug costs. Consider the following findings: Women (9.1%) were likelier than men (7%) not to take medication as prescribed. The percentage of adults not taking medication as prescribed due to cost varied by race and origin: n...

Healthcare costs are expected to grow 5.6% for a hypothetical family of four from 2022 to 2023, according to the 2023 Milliman Medical Index . That’s an increase from $29,424 to $31,065. This year-over-year growth is increasing pressure on employers to provide employees with health coverage at an affordable price. One strategy your organization can look into is prescription drug coverage. Over the past month, HANYS Benefits Services has put the spotlight on how changes in coverage could help your company save and boost employee health in the long run. Read our Benefits Toolkit: Prescription Benefits Drugs for a comprehensive synopsis. Then, top it off with our additional prescription drug and alternative therapies resources: Prescription drug pricing trends ; How prescription drug importation can lower drug prices ; What you should know about biolsimilars ; and Managing costs with cell and gene therapy . If you have questions or need assistance, contact us today . Our dedicated team o...

The cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. is the highest in the developed world and is rising quickly. Americans often pay more for prescription drugs than individuals in comparable countries. According to a 2021 RAND Corporation study , U.S. prescription drug prices were 2.56 times higher, on average, than those in the 32 comparison countries. It’s no surprise many Americans struggle to afford the prescription drugs they need. Addressing the lack of affordable prescription drugs is a top public health priority in the U.S. Prescription drug importation is one option some policymakers are pursuing to lower drug prices for Americans. While prescription drug importation has bipartisan public support, it remains a controversial issue with benefits and risks that must be examined. This article explores the potential impacts of prescription drug importation on U.S. drug prices. What is prescription drug importation? Prescription drug importation is the practice of purchasing prescription dr...

Rapidly increasing healthcare costs will likely continue to impact employers for the foreseeable future. As a result, many employers are considering strategies to manage these costs, including rising prescription drug costs. The introduction of biosimilar drugs as an alternative to biologics may bring value to healthcare by offering cost savings and increasing employee access to necessary medications. While biosimilars can potentially combat rising prescription drug costs, employers will need to learn more about them before considering how their health plans can accommodate these newer drugs. This article explores biosimilar drugs and ways employers can promote or manage their use. What are biosimilars? The European Medicines Agency defines a biosimilar as “a biological medicine highly similar to another already approved biological medicine.” It is produced from living organisms — humans, animals or microorganisms, meaning they aren’t created from synthesized chemicals. They are also ...

Employers continue to struggle with controlling rising healthcare costs and providing employees with affordable and quality care options. Of particular concern are the high costs associated with specialty drugs, including treatments like cell and gene therapy. The specialty drug industry has grown from a few available drugs in the 1990s to more than 300 specialty drugs today. Specialty drugs are the fastest-growing expense for most employer-sponsored health plans. As these treatments become more widely available, employers will likely be forced to address even higher specialty drug costs. The recent rise of cell and gene therapy may create even more concern for employers. These treatments typically range from $250,000 to $3.5 million per individual. While CGT is currently limited to a handful of orphan drugs and extremely rare conditions, this is expected to change in the next few years. Investment in regenerative medicine has grown 16% in three years, hitting a record high of $23.1 bi...

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 enacted the No Surprises Act with the aim of bringing transparency to the healthcare industry. The NSA includes several provisions, including prescription drug data collection (RxDC report). The requirement applies to group health plans and health insurance issuers in the individual and group markets. The NSA requires health insurance issuers and group health plans to report information on prescription drugs and healthcare spending to the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury. This means that insurers and group health plans must provide information such as the total spending on prescription drugs, the number of individuals enrolled in the plan or issuer, and the total cost-sharing amounts paid by enrollees. Check out our Compliance Overview to discover all the requirements and deadlines for prescription drug reporting. For more information about  employee benefits, our services and products,  contact HANYS ...