In dollars and cents, pharmaceutical advances often do increase the cost of drug therapy. PCS says that major new drugs may be approved this year for conditions including anemia, cancer, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. The insurers want to target prescribing doctors, asking them to more prudently offer patients drugs. Reducing doctors' prescribing may be easier said than done. Patients expect that.
Patients also are the target of heavy drug promotions.
PCS executive Jeff Sanders says insurers have to figure out how to convince patients to get more information on their conditions before they demand prescriptions from their doctors. The best way to get doctors involved is to put patient dollars at stake, Sanders says. If the patient has a vested interest, then the doctor will have a vested interest. But at the end of the day, if the base keeps going up, you're going to have to pay it. They add that spending more on drugs may even help to bring down other health costs.