May 9th, 2011 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in News
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The top 10 prescribed drugs in the U.S. for 2010 in order of prescriptions written are:
- Hydrocodone (combined with acetaminophen) — 131.2 million prescriptions
- Generic Zocor (simvastatin), a cholesterol-lowering statin drug — 94.1 million prescriptions
- Lisinopril (brand names include Prinivil and Zestril), a blood pressure drug — 87.4 million prescriptions
- Generic Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium), synthetic thyroid hormone — 70.5 million prescriptions
- Generic Norvasc (amlodipine besylate), an angina/blood pressure drug — 57.2 million prescriptions
- Generic Prilosec (omeprazole), an antacid drug — 53.4 million prescriptions (does not include over-the-counter sales)
- Azithromycin (brand names include Z-Pak and Zithromax), an antibiotic — 52.6 million prescriptions
- Amoxicillin (various brand names), an antibiotic — 52.3 million prescriptions
- Generic Glucophage (metformin), a diabetes drug — 48.3 million prescriptions
- Hydrochlorothiazide (various brand names), a water pill used to lower blood pressure — 47.8 million prescriptions.
Notice that most of these are generic so they aren’t the ones that make the most money for Big Pharma. Those drugs are not offered in generic and they brought in n $307 billion in 2010. What was number one? Drumroll……..
Lipitor, a cholesterol lowering statin.
In case you wondered who is paying for these drugs…Commercial insurance helped pay for 63% of all prescriptions. Medicare Part D (Federal government) paid for 22% of prescriptions. The average co-payment for a prescription was $10.73. The average co-payment for a branded drug was $22.73.
If you are paying for prescriptions, make sure you ask your physician if it is available in generic. It can save you a lot of $$.
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
June 30th, 2009 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, Opinion
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The drug makers have agreed to cover part of the costs of brand name drugs in the donut hole, that no man’s land of Medicare Part D where patients must pay for their own drugs.
As reported:
Obama said that drug companies have pledged to spend $80 billion over the next decade to help reduce the cost of drugs for seniors and pay for a portion of Obama’s health care legislation. The agreement with the pharmaceutical industry would help close a gap in prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
I see one problem with the assertion that drug companies will be “spending” $80 billion dollars to reduce the cost of drugs for seniors. Drug companies and by default, their board of directors have allegiance to their shareholders, not the the US government or the seniors of this country. I can assure you, this deal may look good on paper (for seniors) and it may benefit seniors a great deal (FREE=MORE) but it is also one step further to the promised land of the senior vote. And it will worsen access to drugs for everyone else. There is no free lunch in this world.
It may save seniors money, but it will not be revenue neutral. It will not save $80 billion dollars over 10 years or reduce overall costs of care. Somehow, someway, the costs will be shifted. It may mean higher drug costs for those privately insured or the uninsured. It may mean decreased access to compassion programs. It may mean higher costs to hospitals. Whatever the agreement means, it will not mean $80 billion dollars saved in the next decade.
Drug companies are not in the business of sacrificing their shareholders or bond holders for patriotic means. They are in the business of making money. And that means they have selfish interests to maximize their ROI for any agreement they make with the government.
The question isn’t really how wonderful this is for seniors. The question is how will buying off seniors affect the rest of America. And I’m telling you here, right now, you will see higher costs for everyone not lucky enough to bathe in a sea of FREE=MORE known as the Medicare National Bank.
*This blog post was originally published at A Happy Hospitalist*
