Prescription Drug Benefits

This paper examines by state variation in drug prices and drug spending. Variation in prices are found to be minimal but variation in spending (and utilization) are more substantial. Further work will explore the underlying reasons for the spending variation and whether patterns persist when analyzed for areas other than states.

This paper describes the work NORC did to supplement the Federal Employee Health Benefits data (FEHBP) used to develop drug risk adjustment factors for over 65 individuals with a full drug supplement to Medicare. This data needed to be supplemented because the FEHBP data did not adequately represent, low-income, disabled, or non east Coast populations.

This contract developed data bases to supplement the Federal Employees Health Benefits Data used to develop the drug risk adjustment system for Medicare part D drug plans for low-income and disabled populations; explored geographic variation by state in drug prices and drug utilization; and examined the joint effects on drug plan risk of the combination of drug risk-adjustment, risk-corridors a

This report examines the consequences to medical innovation and overall health posed by attempts to contain drug expenditures by implementing government controls.

Provides discussion and estimates of several Congressional proposals on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

by Joseph A. DiMasi, Ph.D. Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development Tufts University* A background report prepared for the Department of health and Human Services' Conference on Pharmaceutical Pricing Practices, Utilization and Costs August 8-9, 2000

by David H. Kreling, Ph.D., R.Ph. Sonderegger Research Center University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy A background report prepared for the Department of Health and Human Services' Conference on Pharmaceutical Pricing Practices, Utilization and Costs August 8-9, 2000 Leavey Conference Center, Georgetown University