Medicare drug plans are more expensive than Walmart's generic drug discount program



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According to a research letter, patients were required to spend more on a significant portion of Medicare drug plans than for Walmart's generic drug discount program for generic drugs used during the 30-day period. days to treat common cardiovascular diseases. published in Annals of Internal Medicine .

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine compared the direct costs of several Medicare drug plans (PDPs) compared to Walmart's generic drug program.

"To control expenditures, health plans are increasingly transferring costs to patients. Higher expenses can have a negative impact on patients' medication compliance and subsequent health outcomes, "the researchers wrote. "The CEOs, including one from Walmart, were launched in 2006 and sell many commonly used generic drugs for $ 4 per 30-day supply, regardless of insurance status and may result in savings for patients."

-PDP) and 622 autonomous PDPs. From the Walmart GDDP list, researchers identified 27 generic drugs used for common cardiovascular diseases. From 27 drugs. PDP Medicare covered a median of 25 drugs. According to the researchers, for all drugs and all levels, the median proportion of diets requiring patients to spend more than $ 4 out of pocket for covered medications was 21%.

According to the researchers, the median total cost of drugs covered at all levels was $ 2 (IQR, $ 0-5), and costs differed significantly between the PDP MA and PDP for drugs covered in the first level and select levels of care (median cost, $ 2 vs. $ 1) and medications covered at other levels (median cost, $ 10 vs. $ 3)

"In particular, PDA-MA routinely asked patients to spend more than PDP, a counter-intuitive conclusion given that MA plans are responsible for acute care coverage, outpatient services and other health care expenses for their beneficiaries and not just services pharmaceuticals as autonomous PDPs ", wrote the researchers – by Jake Scott

Disclosure s :
The authors do not report any relevant financial disclosure.

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