Specialty Drugs Contributed Another $87 Annually Per Enrollee in 2014

Blue Cross Blue Shield recently conducted an analysis on the high cost of specialty drugs. Here are some key findings from the report:

·         Specialty drugs contributed another $87 annually in costs per enrollee whether or not they used them.

·         Spending on specialty drugs jumped 26% in 2014 due to new hepatitis C pills like Sovaldi.

·         Sovaldi, which was launched in 2014 by Gilead Sciences, costs $84,000 per treatment.

·         Prescription drug spending overall jumped 12.6% in 2014 and 7.6% in 2015.

·         Hepatitis spending, which grew 612% in 2014, resulted in a $29 annual increase per member.

·         Drug spending on inflammatory conditions grew by 29%, resulting in a $22 annual increase per member.

Source: Forbes, May 19, 2016