Findings on Managed Care Discussed by Investigators at University of Wisconsin (Part D Coverage Gap Reform: Trends In Drug Use and Expenditures)

Health Policy and Law Daily

2020 SEP 21 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Fresh data on Managed Care are presented in a new report. According to news originating from Madison, Wisconsin, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “This study analyzed annual trends in the distribution of beneficiaries entering each benefit phase an the utilization of and expenditures for prescription drugs among Medicare Part D beneficiaries from 2008 to 2015. Retrospective, repeated cross-sectional analysis using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Wisconsin, “The study population included elderly Part D beneficiaries without a low-income subsidy, with continuous enrollment in a Part D plan, and with at least 1 prescription fill for a given year. We assessed annual trends for 3 outcomes: (1) proportion of beneficiaries entering each benefit phase and the number of days taken to enter these phases, (2) number of 30-day prescription drug fills, and (3) total and out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs. The proportion of beneficiaries reaching the catastrophic coverage phase increased after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and they reached the threshold earlier in the year. The overall number of 30-day drug fills increased over the study period, although no statistically significant changes in utilization were seen among those reaching the catastrophic coverage phase. Total drug spending steadily increased over time, particularly after the ACA, with the largest increase seen in those reaching the catastrophic threshold; however, out-of-pocket spending significantly decreased.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Although this study provides support for reductions in financial barriers to prescription drugs under the ACA substantial increases in both total drug spending and the proportion of high-cost beneficiaries in the Part D program indicate a growing burden of Part D spending on the Medicare program, which is expected to continue to grow in the future.”

For more information on this research see: Part D Coverage Gap Reform: Trends In Drug Use and Expenditures. The American Journal of Managed Care, 2020;26(8):349-356. The American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Joohyun Park, University of Wisconsin, School of Pharmacy, Social & Adm Sci Div, Madison, WI 53705, United States.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2020.44071. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.