by Tina Reed | Jan 23, 2019 8:23am
The cost of managing
diabetes in the U.S. is rising quickly, largely due to dramatic increases in
the cost of insulin, according to a new report (PDF) from the Health Care Cost
Institute.
Looking at health
insurance claims from 13,800 to 16,200 people with Type 1 diabetes who use
employer-sponsored health insurance, researchers found insulin spending per
person in the U.S. was $5,700 in 2016, a 97% increase from $2,900 in 2012.
The average annual cost
for individuals to manage their diabetes reached $18,500 in 2016, up from about
$12,500 in 2012, largely due to increases in insulin prices.
Examining the prices for
every insulin product on the market between 2012 and 2016, researchers also
found prices increased in all cases with a median price increase of 92%. Use of
insulin rose about 3% over the time period examined.
“We are frequently told
that high drug prices are justifiable in order to promote innovative new cures,
but the cost of insulin—a longstanding therapy that 1.25 million Americans with
Type 1 diabetes rely on to live—has nearly doubled in the last five years,
despite very little change in the underlying product,” Niall Brennan, CEO of
HCCI, said in a statement.
The most common delivery
method of insulin remains vials administered with a syringe (53%), which is a
drop from $61 in 2012. Prefilled insulin pens are gaining popularity,
increasing from 38% of use in 2012 to 46% in 2016.
The report's finding echo
concerns held by medical groups and lawmakers who have sounded alarms
about the impact of rising insulin prices on patients.
Minnesota's attorneys
general filed law suits against several insulin makers, alleging price
gouging of diabetic patients who depend on the medication.
The American Medical
Association urged the Federal Trade Commission to monitor insulin pricing and
market competition to keep the drug affordable. In a letter to FTC
Chairman Joseph Simons, the physician group suggested the FTC recommend
enforcement action against manufacturers that engage in anticompetitive actions
to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Congressional
Diabetes Caucus issued a report on the rising cost of insulin earlier this
year, identifying 11 policy recommendations that could bring down
prices, such as moving toward more value-based contracts, promoting price
transparency and allowing generic drugmakers to produce older,
off-patient insulin formulas and capping out-of-pocket costs for patients who
have chronic diseases like diabetes.
No comments:
Post a Comment