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Just Released
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Medicare Part D Spending on Insulin
Increased 840 Percent Between 2007 and 2017
Medicare Part D spending on insulin increased 840
percent between 2007 and 2017, far outpacing growth in the number of
beneficiaries using insulin therapy, according to a new KFF analysis.
The findings come at a time when the cost of
prescription drugs is a major focus for policymakers in Washington, with
rising prices for insulin drawing particular scrutiny, including from members
of Congress.
Part D spending on insulin rose from $1.4 billion
in 2007 to $13.3 billion in 2017, an increase of 840 percent, the analysis
finds—not accounting for rebates to Medicare--while the number of enrollees
using any insulin therapies increased from 1.6 million in 2007 to 3.1 million
in 2016—a rise of 86 percent.
Beneficiaries felt the financial hit, too. Overall
out-of-pocket spending among Part D enrollees on insulin quadrupled between
2007 and 2016, from $236 million to $968 million, reflecting both rising
prices and more insulin users.
The number of people Medicare covers for insulin
therapy has increased as the number of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes
has risen. In 2016, one-third (33%) of all people with Medicare had diabetes,
with higher rates among black and Hispanic beneficiaries. From 2007 to 2016,
average Medicare total Part D spending per insulin user increased from $862
to $3,949.
The new data note, How Much Does Medicare Spend on Insulin?,
examines the cost of insulin for Medicare and beneficiaries enrolled in
Medicare Part D plans. It also looks at Part D spending on the top five
insulin therapies covered under Part D as well as Part D spending by insulin
manufacturer.
Although drug-specific rebate data are
proprietary, the analysis uses the average Part D rebate to illustrate the
potential effect of rebates on total Part D insulin spending. Manufacturer
rebates reduce Medicare spending, but do not lower Part D enrollees’
out-of-pocket costs, which are based on the list price.
Filling the need for trusted information on
national health issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a
nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.
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Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Medicare Part D Spending on Insulin Increased 840 Percent Between 2007 and 2017
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