Drug Costs
Health Care Costs
Prescription Fees
Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services
Costs and Cost Analysis
Drugs, Generic
Cost Control
Fees, Pharmaceutical
Cost Savings
Cost Sharing
Cost of Illness
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Formularies as Topic
Drug Utilization Review
Medicare Part D
Insurance Claim Review
Managed Care Programs
Models, Economic
Physicians' Offices
Pharmaceutical Services
Drug Utilization
Economics, Pharmaceutical
Health Expenditures
Financing, Personal
United States
Insurance Coverage
Pharmacists
Physician's Practice Patterns
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
Insurance Benefits
Health Maintenance Organizations
Deductibles and Coinsurance
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Cost Allocation
Medicaid
Drug Industry
Health Resources
Markov Chains
Hospital Costs
Retrospective Studies
National Health Programs
British Columbia
Treatment Outcome
Automation
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Medicare
Canada
Great Britain
Drug Therapy, Combination
Databases, Factual
Can restrictions on reimbursement for anti-ulcer drugs decrease Medicaid pharmacy costs without increasing hospitalizations? (1/1509)
OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a policy restricting reimbursement for Medicaid anti-ulcer drugs on anti-ulcer drug use and peptic-related hospitalizations. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: In addition to U.S. Census Bureau data, all of the following from Florida: Medicaid anti-ulcer drug claims data, 1989-1993; Medicaid eligibility data, 1989-1993; and acute care nonfederal hospital discharge abstract data (Medicaid and non-Medicaid), 1989-1993. STUDY DESIGN: In this observational study, a Poisson multiple regression model was used to compare changes, after policy implementation, in Medicaid reimbursement for prescription anti-ulcer drugs as well as hospitalization rates between pre- and post-implementation periods in Medicaid versus non-Medicaid patients hospitalized with peptic ulcer disease. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Following policy implementation, the rate of Medicaid reimbursement for anti-ulcer drugs decreased 33 percent (p < .001). No associated increase occurred in the rate of Medicaid peptic-related hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: Florida's policy restricting Medicaid reimbursement for anti-ulcer drugs was associated with a substantial reduction in outpatient anti-ulcer drug utilization without any significant increase in the rate of hospitalization for peptic-related conditions. (+info)Reduced kidney transplant rejection rate and pharmacoeconomic advantage of mycophenolate mofetil. (2/1509)
BACKGROUND: Several multinational controlled clinical trials have shown that triple therapy immunosuppressive regimens which include mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), cyclosporin A (CSA) and steroids (S) are superior compared with conventional regimens which include azathioprine (AZA), CSA and S, mainly because MMF reduces the rate of acute rejection episodes in the first 6 months after kidney transplantation. Post-marketing studies are useful to evaluate the general applicability and costs of MMF-based immunosuppressive regimens. METHODS: Based on the excellent results of the published controlled clinical trials, we have changed the standard triple therapy immunosuppressive protocol (AZA+CSA+S) to an MMF-based regimen (MMF+CSA+S) at our centre. To analyse the impact of this change in regimen, we have monitored 6-month patient and graft survival, rejection rate, serum creatinine and CSA levels, as well as the costs of the immunosuppressive and anti-rejection treatments, in 40 consecutive renal transplant recipients (MMF group) and have compared the data with 40 consecutive patients transplanted immediately prior to the change in regimen (AZA group). RESULTS: Recipient and donor characteristics were similar in the AZA and MMF groups. Patient survival (37/40; 92.5% in the AZA group vs 38/40; 95% in the MMF group), graft survival (36/40 vs 36/40; both 90%) and serum creatinine (137+/-56 vs 139+/-44 micromol/l) after 6 months were not significantly different. However, the rate of acute rejection episodes (defined as a rise in creatinine without other obvious cause and treated at least with pulse steroids) was significantly reduced with MMF from 60 to 20% (P=0.0005). The resulting cost for rejection treatment was lowered 8-fold (from sFr. 2113 to 259 averaged per patient) and the number of transplant biopsies was lowered > 3-fold in the MMF group. The cost for the immunosuppressive therapy was increased 1.5-fold with MMF (from sFr. 5906 to 9231 per patient for the first 6 months). CONCLUSIONS: The change from AZA to MMF resulted in a significant reduction in early rejection episodes, resulting in fewer diagnostic procedures and rehospitalizations. The optimal long-term regimen in terms of patient and pharmacoeconomic benefits remains to be defined. (+info)The cost effectiveness of strategies for the treatment of intestinal parasites in immigrants. (3/1509)
BACKGROUND: Currently, more than 600,000 immigrants enter the United States each year from countries where intestinal parasites are endemic. At entry persons with parasitic infections may be asymptomatic, and stool examinations are not a sensitive method of screening for parasitosis. Albendazole is a new, broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug, which was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration. International trials have shown albendazole to be safe and effective in eradicating many parasites. In the United States there is now disagreement about whether to screen all immigrants for parasites, treat all immigrants presumptively, or do nothing unless they have symptoms. METHODS: We compared the costs and benefits of no preventive intervention (watchful waiting) with those of universal screening or presumptive treatment with 400 mg of albendazole per day for five days. Those at risk were defined as immigrants to the United States from Asia, the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Cost effectiveness was expressed both in terms of the cost of treatment per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted (one DALY is defined as the loss of one year of healthy life to disease) and in terms of the cost per hospitalization averted. RESULTS: As compared with watchful waiting, presumptive treatment of all immigrants at risk for parasitosis would avert at least 870 DALYs, prevent at least 33 deaths and 374 hospitalizations, and save at least $4.2 million per year. As compared with watchful waiting, screening would cost $159,236 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS: Presumptive administration of albendazole to all immigrants at risk for parasitosis would save lives and money. Universal screening, with treatment of persons with positive stool examinations, would save lives but is less cost effective than presumptive treatment. (+info)Financial incentives and drug spending in managed care. (4/1509)
This study estimates the impact of patient financial incentives on the use and cost of prescription drugs in the context of differing physician payment mechanisms. A large data set was developed that covers persons in managed care who pay varying levels of cost sharing and whose physicians are compensated under two different models: independent practice association (IPA)-model and network-model health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Our results indicate that higher patient copayments for prescription drugs are associated with lower drug spending in IPA models (in which physicians are not at risk for drug costs) but have little effect in network models (in which physicians bear financial risk for all prescribing behavior). (+info)Who bears the burden of Medicaid drug copayment policies? (5/1509)
This DataWatch examines the impact of Medicaid prescription drug copayment policies in thirty-eight states using survey data from the 1992 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Findings indicate that elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients who reside in states with copay provisions have significantly lower rates of drug use than their counterparts in states without copayments. After controlling for other factors, we find that the primary effect of copayments is to reduce the likelihood that Medicaid recipients fill any prescription during the year. This burden falls disproportionately on recipients in poor health. (+info)Problems with implementing guidelines: a randomised controlled trial of consensus management of dyspepsia. (6/1509)
OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility and benefit of developing guidelines for managing dyspepsia by consensus between general practitioners (GPs) and specialists and to evaluate their introduction on GPs' prescribing, use of investigations, and referrals. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial of effect of consensus guidelines agreed between GPs and specialists on GPs' behaviour. SETTING: Southampton and South West Hampshire Health District, United Kingdom. SUBJECTS: 179 GPs working in 45 practices in Southampton district out of 254 eligible GPs, 107 in the control group and 78 in the study group. MAIN MEASURES: Rates of referral and investigation and costs of prescribing for dyspepsia in the six months before and after introduction of the guidelines. RESULTS: Consensus guidelines were produced relatively easily. After their introduction referral rates for upper gastrointestinal symptoms fell significantly in both study and control groups, but no significant change occurred in either group in the use of endoscopy or radiology, either in terms of referral rates, patient selection, or findings on investigation. No difference was observed between the control and study group in the number of items prescribed, but prescribing costs rose by 25% (from 2634 pounds to 3215 pounds per GP) in the study group, almost entirely due to an increased rate of prescription of ulcer-healing agents. CONCLUSION: Developing district guidelines for managing dyspepsia by consensus between GPs and specialists was feasible. However, their acceptance and adoption was variable and their measured effects on some aspects of clinical behaviour were relatively weak and not necessarily associated with either decreased costs or improved quality of care. (+info)Impact of an interest in asthma on prescribing costs in general practice. (7/1509)
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect on total prescribing costs and prescribing costs for respiratory drugs for practices with at least one general practitioner with a special interest in asthma. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: General practitioners in England and Wales. SUBJECTS: 269 members of the General Practitioners in Asthma Group, of whom 103 agreed to participate. MAIN MEASURES: Individual practitioners' and their practices' PACT prescribing costs from the winter quarters of 1989-90 compared with average costs for their family health services authority (FHSA) and a notional national average of all FHSAs combined. RESULTS: The response rate was 57%; the average total prescribing costs for the practices of the 59 respondents were significantly lower than those of their respective FHSAs (mean difference 505 pounds per 1000 patients per quarter (95% confidence interval -934.0 to -76.2, p = 0.022) and lower than the national average. The average prescribing costs for respiratory drugs for the practices were significantly greater than those for their FHSA (195 pounds per 1000 patients per quarter (84.4 to 306.0, p = 0.001) and the national average. Both types of costs varied widely. CONCLUSION: An interest in asthma care in general practice is associated with higher average prescribing costs for respiratory drugs but no increase in overall prescribing costs compared with those for respective FHSAs and national averages. IMPLICATIONS: FHSAs and their medical advisors should not examine high prescribing costs for individual doctors or one therapeutic category but in the context of practice total costs. (+info)Potential savings from generic prescribing and generic substitution in South Africa. (8/1509)
Generic prescribing and generic substitution are mechanisms for reducing the cost of drugs. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which generic prescribing by private medical practitioners and generic substitution by private pharmacists is practised in South Africa and to estimate the potential savings from these two practices. Prescriptions from 10 pharmacists were collected on four randomly selected days. Computer printouts of all the prescriptions dispensed on these four days together with the original doctor's prescription were priced using a commercially available pharmacy dispensing computer package. A total of 1570 prescriptions with a total number of 4086 items were reviewed. Of the total prescriptions, 45.7% had at least one item for which there was a generic equivalent. Of the 961 drugs which had generic equivalents, 202 (21 %) were prescribed using the generic name of the drug. Only 0.3% of prescribers prohibited generic substitution. The cost of the prescription as dispensed was 1.4% (mean cost: R116.19 vs R117.84) below that of the original doctor's prescriptions, indicating the marginal benefit from the current low substitution rate of 13.9% by pharmacists. About 6.8% of the cost of the original doctor's prescriptions (mean cost: R117.84) could have been saved if total generic substitution (mean cost: R109.65) was practised. The cost of the prescriptions with only brand name items (mean cost: R120.49) would have been 9.9% higher than if generic drugs were used. Current restrictive prescribing and dispensing practices result in marginal cost savings from generic prescribing and generic substitution. Both these practices have a potential to reduce drug costs, if actively encouraged and practised to maximum capacity. It is noteworthy, however, that the potential savings from generic prescribing and substitution are at most 9.9% in the absence of any changes in types of drugs prescribed. (+info)"Drug costs" refer to the amount of money that must be paid to acquire and use a particular medication. These costs can include the following:
1. The actual purchase price of the drug, which may vary depending on factors such as the dosage form, strength, and quantity of the medication, as well as whether it is obtained through a retail pharmacy, mail-order service, or other distribution channel.
2. Any additional fees or charges associated with obtaining the drug, such as shipping and handling costs, insurance copayments or coinsurance amounts, and deductibles.
3. The cost of any necessary medical services or supplies that are required to administer the drug, such as syringes, needles, or alcohol swabs for injectable medications, or nebulizers for inhaled drugs.
4. The cost of monitoring and managing any potential side effects or complications associated with the use of the drug, which may include additional medical appointments, laboratory tests, or other diagnostic procedures.
It is important to note that drug costs can vary widely depending on a variety of factors, including the patient's insurance coverage, the pharmacy where the drug is obtained, and any discounts or rebates that may be available. Patients are encouraged to shop around for the best prices and to explore all available options for reducing their out-of-pocket costs, such as using generic medications or participating in manufacturer savings programs.
Health care costs refer to the expenses incurred for medical services, treatments, procedures, and products that are used to maintain or restore an individual's health. These costs can be categorized into several types:
1. Direct costs: These include payments made for doctor visits, hospital stays, medications, diagnostic tests, surgeries, and other medical treatments and services. Direct costs can be further divided into two subcategories:
* Out-of-pocket costs: Expenses paid directly by patients, such as co-payments, deductibles, coinsurance, and any uncovered medical services or products.
* Third-party payer costs: Expenses covered by insurance companies, government programs (like Medicare, Medicaid), or other entities that pay for health care services on behalf of patients.
2. Indirect costs: These are the expenses incurred as a result of illness or injury that indirectly impact an individual's ability to work and earn a living. Examples include lost productivity, absenteeism, reduced earning capacity, and disability benefits.
3. Non-medical costs: These are expenses related to caregiving, transportation, home modifications, assistive devices, and other non-medical services required for managing health conditions or disabilities.
Health care costs can vary significantly depending on factors such as the type of medical service, geographic location, insurance coverage, and individual health status. Understanding these costs is essential for patients, healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers to make informed decisions about treatment options, resource allocation, and health system design.
A prescription fee is not a medical definition per se, but rather a term used in the context of pharmacy and healthcare services. It refers to the charge for dispensing a medication that has been prescribed by a healthcare professional. The prescription fee may cover the cost of the medication itself, as well as any additional services provided by the pharmacist, such as counseling on how to take the medication, potential side effects, and monitoring requirements.
Prescription fees may vary depending on the location, the type of medication, and the healthcare system in place. In some cases, prescription fees may be covered or subsidized by health insurance plans, while in other cases, patients may be responsible for paying the fee out of pocket. It is important for patients to understand their prescription coverage and any associated costs before filling a prescription.
Pharmaceutical services insurance refers to a type of coverage that helps individuals and families pay for their prescription medications. This type of insurance is often offered as part of a larger health insurance plan, but can also be purchased as a standalone policy.
The specifics of pharmaceutical services insurance coverage can vary widely depending on the policy. Some plans may cover only generic medications, while others may cover both brand-name and generic drugs. Additionally, some policies may require individuals to pay a portion of the cost of their prescriptions in the form of copays or coinsurance, while others may cover the full cost of medications.
Pharmaceutical services insurance can be especially important for individuals who have chronic medical conditions that require ongoing treatment with expensive prescription medications. By helping to offset the cost of these medications, pharmaceutical services insurance can make it easier for people to afford the care they need to manage their health and improve their quality of life.
Costs refer to the total amount of resources, such as money, time, and labor, that are expended in the provision of a medical service or treatment. Costs can be categorized into direct costs, which include expenses directly related to patient care, such as medication, supplies, and personnel; and indirect costs, which include overhead expenses, such as rent, utilities, and administrative salaries.
Cost analysis is the process of estimating and evaluating the total cost of a medical service or treatment. This involves identifying and quantifying all direct and indirect costs associated with the provision of care, and analyzing how these costs may vary based on factors such as patient volume, resource utilization, and reimbursement rates.
Cost analysis is an important tool for healthcare organizations to understand the financial implications of their operations and make informed decisions about resource allocation, pricing strategies, and quality improvement initiatives. It can also help policymakers and payers evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different treatment options and develop evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice.
A generic drug is a medication that contains the same active ingredients as an originally marketed brand-name drug, known as its "innovator" or "reference listed" drug. The active ingredient is the component of the drug that is responsible for its therapeutic effect. Generic drugs are required to have the same quality, strength, purity, and stability as their brand-name counterparts. They must also meet the same rigorous Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards regarding safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing.
Generic drugs are typically less expensive than their brand-name equivalents because generic manufacturers do not have to repeat the costly clinical trials that were required for the innovator drug. Instead, they demonstrate through bioequivalence studies that their product is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug. This means that the generic drug delivers the same amount of active ingredient into a patient's bloodstream in the same timeframe as the brand-name drug.
In summary, generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs with the same active ingredients, dosage forms, strengths, routes of administration, and intended uses. They must meet FDA regulations for safety, efficacy, and manufacturing standards, ensuring that they provide patients with the same therapeutic benefits as their brand-name counterparts at a more affordable price.
Cost control in a medical context refers to the strategies and practices employed by healthcare organizations to manage and reduce the costs associated with providing patient care while maintaining quality and safety. The goal is to optimize resource allocation, increase efficiency, and contain expenses without compromising the standard of care. This may involve measures such as:
1. Utilization management: Reviewing and monitoring the use of medical services, tests, and treatments to ensure they are necessary, appropriate, and evidence-based.
2. Case management: Coordinating patient care across various healthcare providers and settings to improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary duplication of services, and control costs.
3. Negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors to secure favorable pricing for medical equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals.
4. Implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines and pathways to standardize care processes and reduce unwarranted variations in practice that can drive up costs.
5. Using technology such as electronic health records (EHRs) and telemedicine to streamline operations, improve communication, and reduce errors.
6. Investing in preventive care and wellness programs to keep patients healthy and reduce the need for costly interventions and hospitalizations.
7. Continuously monitoring and analyzing cost data to identify trends, opportunities for improvement, and areas of potential waste or inefficiency.
Pharmaceutical fees are charges that healthcare professionals or institutions may impose on patients for various services related to the prescribing and dispensing of medications. These fees can include costs associated with medication therapy management, drug monitoring, medication reconciliation, and other clinical services provided by pharmacists or other healthcare providers.
It's important to note that these fees are separate from the cost of the medication itself and may not be covered by insurance. Patients should always ask about any potential fees before receiving pharmaceutical services and clarify whether they will be responsible for paying them out-of-pocket.
Cost savings in a medical context generally refers to the reduction in expenses or resources expended in the delivery of healthcare services, treatments, or procedures. This can be achieved through various means such as implementing more efficient processes, utilizing less expensive treatment options when appropriate, preventing complications or readmissions, and negotiating better prices for drugs or supplies.
Cost savings can also result from comparative effectiveness research, which compares the relative benefits and harms of different medical interventions to help doctors and patients make informed decisions about which treatment is most appropriate and cost-effective for a given condition.
Ultimately, cost savings in healthcare aim to improve the overall value of care delivered by reducing unnecessary expenses while maintaining or improving quality outcomes for patients.
Cost sharing in a medical or healthcare context refers to the portion of health care costs that are paid by the patient or health plan member, rather than by their insurance company. Cost sharing can take various forms, including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
A deductible is the amount that a patient must pay out of pocket for medical services before their insurance coverage kicks in. For example, if a health plan has a $1,000 deductible, the patient must pay the first $1,000 of their medical expenses before their insurance starts covering costs.
Coinsurance is the percentage of medical costs that a patient is responsible for paying after they have met their deductible. For example, if a health plan has 20% coinsurance, the patient would pay 20% of the cost of medical services, and their insurance would cover the remaining 80%.
Copayments are fixed amounts that patients must pay for specific medical services, such as doctor visits or prescription medications. Copayments are typically paid at the time of service and do not count towards a patient's deductible.
Cost sharing is intended to encourage patients to be more cost-conscious in their use of healthcare services, as they have a financial incentive to seek out lower-cost options. However, high levels of cost sharing can also create barriers to accessing necessary medical care, particularly for low-income individuals and families.
"Cost of Illness" is a medical-economic concept that refers to the total societal cost associated with a specific disease or health condition. It includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are those that can be directly attributed to the illness, such as medical expenses for diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and medications. Indirect costs include productivity losses due to morbidity (reduced efficiency while working) and mortality (lost earnings due to death). Other indirect costs may encompass expenses related to caregiving or special education needs. The Cost of Illness is often used in health policy decision-making, resource allocation, and evaluating the economic impact of diseases on society.
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a systematic process used to compare the costs and benefits of different options to determine which one provides the greatest net benefit. In a medical context, CBA can be used to evaluate the value of medical interventions, treatments, or policies by estimating and monetizing all the relevant costs and benefits associated with each option.
The costs included in a CBA may include direct costs such as the cost of the intervention or treatment itself, as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity or time away from work. Benefits may include improved health outcomes, reduced morbidity or mortality, and increased quality of life.
Once all the relevant costs and benefits have been identified and quantified, they are typically expressed in monetary terms to allow for a direct comparison. The option with the highest net benefit (i.e., the difference between total benefits and total costs) is considered the most cost-effective.
It's important to note that CBA has some limitations and can be subject to various biases and assumptions, so it should be used in conjunction with other evaluation methods to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the value of medical interventions or policies.
A formulary is a list of prescription drugs, both generic and brand-name, that are approved for use in a specific health plan or healthcare system. The formulary includes information on the preferred drugs within each therapeutic class, along with any restrictions or limitations on their use. Formularies are developed and maintained by a committee of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and physicians, who evaluate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of different medications.
The purpose of a formulary is to promote the appropriate use of medications, improve patient outcomes, and manage healthcare costs. By establishing a preferred list of drugs, health plans and healthcare systems can negotiate better prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers and ensure that patients receive high-quality, evidence-based care.
Formularies may include various types of medications, such as oral solid dosage forms, injectables, inhalants, topicals, and others. They are typically organized by therapeutic class, and each drug is assigned a tier based on its cost and clinical value. Tier 1 drugs are usually preferred generics or lower-cost brand-name medications, while Tier 2 drugs may be higher-cost brand-name medications that have no generic equivalent. Tier 3 drugs are typically specialty medications that are used to treat complex or rare conditions and are often associated with high costs.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to prescribe drugs that are listed on the formulary, as these medications have been thoroughly reviewed and deemed safe and effective for use in their patient population. However, there may be situations where a non-formulary medication is necessary to treat a particular patient's condition. In such cases, healthcare providers can request an exception or prior authorization to prescribe the non-formulary drug.
Formularies are regularly updated to reflect new drugs that come on the market, changes in clinical guidelines, and shifts in the therapeutic landscape. Health plans and healthcare systems may also modify their formularies in response to feedback from patients and providers or to address concerns about safety, efficacy, or cost.
In summary, a formulary is a comprehensive list of prescription drugs that are approved for use in a specific health plan or healthcare system. Formularies promote the appropriate use of medications, improve patient outcomes, and manage costs by encouraging the prescribing of safe and effective drugs that have been thoroughly reviewed and deemed appropriate for their patient population.
A Drug Utilization Review (DUR) is a systematic retrospective examination of a patient's current and past use of medications to identify medication-related problems, such as adverse drug reactions, interactions, inappropriate dosages, duplicate therapy, and noncompliance with the treatment plan. The goal of DUR is to optimize medication therapy, improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and promote safe and effective use of medications.
DUR is typically conducted by pharmacists, physicians, or other healthcare professionals who review medication records, laboratory results, and clinical data to identify potential issues and make recommendations for changes in medication therapy. DUR may be performed manually or using automated software tools that can analyze large datasets of medication claims and electronic health records.
DUR is an important component of medication management programs in various settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, and ambulatory care clinics. It helps ensure that patients receive the right medications at the right doses for the right indications, and reduces the risk of medication errors and adverse drug events.
Medicare Part D is a voluntary program within the U.S. Medicare system that provides prescription drug coverage to beneficiaries. It is offered through private insurance companies approved by and contracting with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Medicare Part D has two primary components: the Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and the Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans (MA-PDs). PDPs are standalone drug plans that can be added to Original Medicare or certain Medicare Cost Plans, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, and Medical Savings Account Plans. MA-PDs combine medical and prescription drug coverage in a single plan offered by private insurance companies approved by CMS.
Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D plans pay premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments for their covered medications, depending on the specific plan they choose. Additionally, there is an annual out-of-pocket spending limit called the "catastrophic coverage threshold" that provides some financial protection for beneficiaries with high drug costs.
An insurance claim review is the process conducted by an insurance company to evaluate a claim made by a policyholder for coverage of a loss or expense. This evaluation typically involves examining the details of the claim, assessing the damages or injuries incurred, verifying the coverage provided by the policy, and determining the appropriate amount of benefits to be paid. The insurance claim review may also include investigating the circumstances surrounding the claim to ensure its validity and confirming that it complies with the terms and conditions of the insurance policy.
Managed care programs are a type of health insurance plan that aims to control healthcare costs and improve the quality of care by managing the utilization of healthcare services. They do this by using a network of healthcare providers who have agreed to provide services at reduced rates, and by implementing various strategies such as utilization review, case management, and preventive care.
In managed care programs, there is usually a primary care physician (PCP) who acts as the patient's main doctor and coordinates their care within the network of providers. Patients may need a referral from their PCP to see specialists or access certain services. Managed care programs can take various forms, including Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Point-of-Service (POS) plans, and Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs).
The goal of managed care programs is to provide cost-effective healthcare services while maintaining or improving the quality of care. They can help patients save money on healthcare costs by providing coverage for a range of services at lower rates than traditional fee-for-service plans, but they may also limit patient choice and require prior authorization for certain procedures or treatments.
Prescription drugs are medications that are only available to patients with a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner. These drugs cannot be legally obtained over-the-counter and require a prescription due to their potential for misuse, abuse, or serious side effects. They are typically used to treat complex medical conditions, manage symptoms of chronic illnesses, or provide necessary pain relief in certain situations.
Prescription drugs are classified based on their active ingredients and therapeutic uses. In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) categorizes them into five schedules (I-V) depending on their potential for abuse and dependence. Schedule I substances have the highest potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, while schedule V substances have a lower potential for abuse and are often used for legitimate medical purposes.
Examples of prescription drugs include opioid painkillers like oxycodone and hydrocodone, stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin, benzodiazepines like Xanax and Ativan, and various other medications used to treat conditions such as epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure.
It is essential to use prescription drugs only as directed by a healthcare professional, as misuse or abuse can lead to severe health consequences, including addiction, overdose, and even death.
Economic models in the context of healthcare and medicine are theoretical frameworks used to analyze and predict the economic impact and cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions, treatments, or policies. These models utilize clinical and epidemiological data, as well as information on resource use and costs, to estimate outcomes such as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and budget impacts. The purpose of economic models is to inform decision-making and allocate resources in an efficient and evidence-based manner. Examples of economic models include decision tree analysis, Markov models, and simulation models.
A drug prescription is a written or electronic order provided by a licensed healthcare professional, such as a physician, dentist, or advanced practice nurse, to a pharmacist that authorizes the preparation and dispensing of a specific medication for a patient. The prescription typically includes important information such as the patient's name and date of birth, the name and strength of the medication, the dosage regimen, the duration of treatment, and any special instructions or precautions.
Prescriptions serve several purposes, including ensuring that patients receive the appropriate medication for their medical condition, preventing medication errors, and promoting safe and effective use of medications. They also provide a legal record of the medical provider's authorization for the pharmacist to dispense the medication to the patient.
There are two main types of prescriptions: written prescriptions and electronic prescriptions. Written prescriptions are handwritten or printed on paper, while electronic prescriptions are transmitted electronically from the medical provider to the pharmacy. Electronic prescriptions are becoming increasingly common due to their convenience, accuracy, and security.
It is important for patients to follow the instructions provided on their prescription carefully and to ask their healthcare provider or pharmacist any questions they may have about their medication. Failure to follow a drug prescription can result in improper use of the medication, which can lead to adverse effects, treatment failure, or even life-threatening situations.
"Physicians' Offices" is a general term that refers to the physical location where medical doctors or physicians practice their profession and provide healthcare services to patients. These offices can vary in size and setting, ranging from a single physician's small private practice to large, multi-specialty clinics.
In a physicians' office, medical professionals typically deliver outpatient care, which means that patients visit the office for appointments rather than staying overnight. The services provided may include routine check-ups, diagnosing and treating illnesses or injuries, prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, providing preventive care, and coordinating with other healthcare providers for specialist referrals or additional treatments.
The facilities in a physicians' office usually consist of examination rooms, a waiting area, nursing stations, and administrative support spaces. Some may also have on-site laboratory or diagnostic equipment, such as X-ray machines or ultrasound devices. The specific layout and amenities will depend on the size, specialty, and patient population of the practice.
Pharmaceutical services refer to the direct patient care activities conducted by licensed pharmacists, which include but are not limited to:
1. Medication therapy management: This involves reviewing a patient's medications to ensure they are appropriate, effective, and safe. Pharmacists may make recommendations to the prescriber about changes to medication therapy as needed.
2. Patient education: Pharmacists provide education to patients about their medications, including how to take them, potential side effects, and storage instructions. They also provide information on disease prevention and management.
3. Immunizations: Many pharmacists are trained to administer vaccines, which can help increase access to this important preventive health service.
4. Monitoring and evaluation: Pharmacists monitor patients' responses to medication therapy and make adjustments as needed. They also evaluate the effectiveness of medication therapy and make recommendations for changes if necessary.
5. Clinical services: Pharmacists may provide a range of clinical services, such as managing anticoagulation therapy, providing diabetes education, or conducting medication reconciliation after hospital discharge.
6. Collaborative practice: Pharmacists work collaboratively with other healthcare providers to optimize medication therapy and improve patient outcomes. This may involve participating in multidisciplinary teams, consulting with prescribers, or sharing information with other healthcare professionals.
Overall, pharmaceutical services aim to improve patient outcomes by ensuring that medications are used safely and effectively.
Drug utilization refers to the use of medications by patients or healthcare professionals in a real-world setting. It involves analyzing and evaluating patterns of medication use, including prescribing practices, adherence to treatment guidelines, potential duplications or interactions, and outcomes associated with drug therapy. The goal of drug utilization is to optimize medication use, improve patient safety, and minimize costs while achieving the best possible health outcomes. It can be studied through various methods such as prescription claims data analysis, surveys, and clinical audits.
Pharmaceutical economics is a branch of economics that focuses on the production and distribution of pharmaceutical products and services. It involves the analysis of various factors that influence the development, pricing, and accessibility of medications, including issues related to healthcare policy, regulation, reimbursement, and market competition.
Pharmaceutical economists study topics such as:
1. The research and development (R&D) process for new drugs, including the costs, risks, and uncertainties associated with bringing a new drug to market.
2. The pricing of pharmaceuticals, taking into account factors such as production costs, R&D expenses, market competition, and the value that medications provide to patients and society.
3. The impact of government regulations and policies on the pharmaceutical industry, including issues related to intellectual property protection, drug safety, and efficacy testing.
4. The role of health insurance and other third-party payers in shaping the demand for and access to pharmaceuticals.
5. The evaluation of pharmaceutical interventions' cost-effectiveness and their impact on healthcare outcomes and patient well-being.
6. The analysis of market structures, competitive dynamics, and strategic decision-making within the pharmaceutical industry.
7. The assessment of globalization, international trade, and cross-border collaboration in the pharmaceutical sector.
Pharmaceutical economics plays a crucial role in informing healthcare policy decisions, improving patient access to essential medications, and promoting sustainable and innovative practices within the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmacy administration refers to the management and leadership of pharmacy operations, services, and resources within healthcare systems or organizations. It involves planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating various activities related to the safe and effective use of medications, including medication therapy management, formulary management, drug utilization review, quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and financial management.
Pharmacy administrators may oversee pharmacy staff, operations, and budgets, as well as develop and implement policies and procedures that promote high-quality patient care, ensure medication safety, and optimize medication use. They may also collaborate with other healthcare professionals to develop and implement strategies for improving medication management and promoting interprofessional communication and collaboration.
Pharmacy administration is a critical component of healthcare delivery, as it helps to ensure that patients receive the right medications at the right time, in the right dose, and for the right duration. Effective pharmacy administration can help to improve patient outcomes, reduce medication errors, and lower healthcare costs.
Health expenditures refer to the total amount of money spent on health services, goods, and resources in a given period. This can include expenses for preventive care, medical treatments, medications, long-term care, and administrative costs. Health expenditures can be made by individuals, corporations, insurance companies, or governments, and they can be measured at the national, regional, or household level.
Health expenditures are often used as an indicator of a country's investment in its healthcare system and can reflect the overall health status of a population. High levels of health expenditures may indicate a strong commitment to healthcare, but they can also place a significant burden on individuals, businesses, and governments. Understanding patterns and trends in health expenditures is important for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers who are working to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of healthcare services.
Personal Financing is not a term that has a specific medical definition. However, in general terms, it refers to the management of an individual's financial resources, such as income, assets, liabilities, and debts, to meet their personal needs and goals. This can include budgeting, saving, investing, planning for retirement, and managing debt.
In the context of healthcare, personal financing may refer to the ability of individuals to pay for their own medical care expenses, including health insurance premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket costs. This can be a significant concern for many people, particularly those with chronic medical conditions or disabilities who may face ongoing healthcare expenses.
Personal financing for healthcare may involve various strategies, such as setting aside savings, using health savings accounts (HSAs) or flexible spending accounts (FSAs), purchasing health insurance policies with lower premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs, or negotiating payment plans with healthcare providers. Ultimately, personal financing for healthcare involves making informed decisions about how to allocate financial resources to meet both immediate and long-term medical needs while also balancing other financial goals and responsibilities.
I'm sorry for any confusion, but "United States" is a geopolitical entity, specifically the name of the country consisting of 50 states, and it is not a medical term or concept. Therefore, I can't provide a medical definition for it. If you have any questions related to health, medicine, or biology, I would be happy to try to help answer those!
Insurance coverage, in the context of healthcare and medicine, refers to the financial protection provided by an insurance policy that covers all or a portion of the cost of medical services, treatments, and prescription drugs. The coverage is typically offered by health insurance companies, employers, or government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
The specific services and treatments covered by insurance, as well as the out-of-pocket costs borne by the insured individual, are determined by the terms of the insurance policy. These terms may include deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and coverage limits or exclusions. The goal of insurance coverage is to help individuals manage the financial risks associated with healthcare expenses and ensure access to necessary medical services.
A Pharmacist is a healthcare professional who practices in the field of pharmacy, focusing on the safe and effective use of medications. They are responsible for dispensing medications prescribed by physicians and other healthcare providers, as well as providing information and counseling to patients about their medications. This includes explaining how to take the medication, potential side effects, and any drug interactions. Pharmacists may also be involved in medication therapy management, monitoring patient health and adjusting medication plans as needed. They must have a deep understanding of the properties and actions of drugs, including how they are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the body, as well as their potential interactions with other substances and treatments. In addition to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree, pharmacists must also be licensed in the state where they practice.
Physician's practice patterns refer to the individual habits and preferences of healthcare providers when it comes to making clinical decisions and managing patient care. These patterns can encompass various aspects, such as:
1. Diagnostic testing: The types and frequency of diagnostic tests ordered for patients with similar conditions.
2. Treatment modalities: The choice of treatment options, including medications, procedures, or referrals to specialists.
3. Patient communication: The way physicians communicate with their patients, including the amount and type of information shared, as well as the level of patient involvement in decision-making.
4. Follow-up care: The frequency and duration of follow-up appointments, as well as the monitoring of treatment effectiveness and potential side effects.
5. Resource utilization: The use of healthcare resources, such as hospitalizations, imaging studies, or specialist consultations, and the associated costs.
Physician practice patterns can be influenced by various factors, including medical training, clinical experience, personal beliefs, guidelines, and local availability of resources. Understanding these patterns is essential for evaluating the quality of care, identifying potential variations in care, and implementing strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) is a measure of health outcomes that combines both the quality and quantity of life lived in a single metric. It is often used in economic evaluations of healthcare interventions to estimate their value for money. QALYs are calculated by multiplying the number of years of life gained by a weighting factor that reflects the quality of life experienced during those years, typically on a scale from 0 (representing death) to 1 (representing perfect health). For example, if a healthcare intervention extends a person's life by an additional five years but they experience only 80% of full health during that time, the QALY gain would be 4 (5 x 0.8). This measure allows for comparisons to be made between different interventions and their impact on both length and quality of life.
A Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is a group of healthcare professionals, typically including physicians, pharmacists, and other experts, responsible for the evaluation, recommendation, and monitoring of safe and effective medication use within a healthcare system or organization. They make decisions about the formulary, which is the list of medications that are covered and approved for use within that system. The committee also develops guidelines and policies for medication prescribing, administering, and monitoring to promote quality patient care, reduce medication errors, and control costs.
Insurance benefits refer to the coverage, payments or services that a health insurance company provides to its policyholders based on the terms of their insurance plan. These benefits can include things like:
* Payment for all or a portion of medical services, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications
* Coverage for specific treatments or procedures, such as cancer treatment or surgery
* Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments
* Case management and care coordination services to help policyholders navigate the healthcare system and receive appropriate care.
The specific benefits provided will vary depending on the type of insurance plan and the level of coverage purchased by the policyholder. It is important for individuals to understand their insurance benefits and how they can access them in order to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is a type of managed care organization (MCO) that provides comprehensive health care services to its members, typically for a fixed monthly premium. HMOs are characterized by a prepaid payment model and a focus on preventive care and early intervention to manage the health of their enrolled population.
In an HMO, members must choose a primary care physician (PCP) who acts as their first point of contact for medical care and coordinates all aspects of their healthcare needs within the HMO network. Specialist care is generally only covered if it is referred by the PCP, and members are typically required to obtain medical services from providers that are part of the HMO's network. This helps to keep costs down and ensures that care is coordinated and managed effectively.
HMOs may also offer additional benefits such as dental, vision, and mental health services, depending on the specific plan. However, members may face higher out-of-pocket costs if they choose to receive care outside of the HMO network. Overall, HMOs are designed to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage at a more affordable cost than traditional fee-for-service insurance plans.
A deductible is a specific amount of money that a patient must pay out of pocket before their health insurance starts covering the costs of medical services. For example, if a patient has a $1000 deductible, they must pay the first $1000 of their medical bills themselves before the insurance begins to cover the remaining costs. Deductibles are annual, meaning they reset every year.
Coinsurance is the percentage of costs for a covered medical service that a patient is responsible for paying after they have met their deductible. For example, if a patient has a 20% coinsurance rate, they will be responsible for paying 20% of the cost of each medical service, while their insurance covers the remaining 80%. Coinsurance rates vary depending on the health insurance plan and the specific medical service being provided.
Direct service costs are expenses that can be directly attributed to the delivery of a specific service or program. These costs are typically related to items such as personnel, supplies, and equipment that are used exclusively for the provision of that service. Direct service costs can be contrasted with indirect costs, which are expenses that are not easily linked to a particular service or program and may include things like administrative overhead, rent, and utilities.
Examples of direct service costs in a healthcare setting might include:
* Salaries and benefits for medical staff who provide patient care, such as doctors, nurses, and therapists
* Costs of medications and supplies used to treat patients
* Equipment and supplies needed to perform diagnostic tests or procedures, such as X-ray machines or surgical instruments
* Rent or lease payments for space that is dedicated to providing patient care services.
It's important to accurately track direct service costs in order to understand the true cost of delivering a particular service or program, and to make informed decisions about resource allocation and pricing.
Pharmaceutical preparations refer to the various forms of medicines that are produced by pharmaceutical companies, which are intended for therapeutic or prophylactic use. These preparations consist of an active ingredient (the drug) combined with excipients (inactive ingredients) in a specific formulation and dosage form.
The active ingredient is the substance that has a therapeutic effect on the body, while the excipients are added to improve the stability, palatability, bioavailability, or administration of the drug. Examples of pharmaceutical preparations include tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, ointments, creams, and injections.
The production of pharmaceutical preparations involves a series of steps that ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of the final product. These steps include the selection and testing of raw materials, formulation development, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and storage. Each step is governed by strict regulations and guidelines to ensure that the final product meets the required standards for use in medical practice.
Cost allocation is the process of distributing or assigning costs to different departments, projects, products, or services within an organization. The goal of cost allocation is to more accurately determine the true cost of producing a product or providing a service, taking into account all related expenses. This can help organizations make better decisions about pricing, resource allocation, and profitability analysis.
There are various methods for allocating costs, including activity-based costing (ABC), which assigns costs based on the activities required to produce a product or provide a service; traditional costing, which uses broad categories such as direct labor, direct materials, and overhead; and causal allocation, which assigns costs based on a specific cause-and-effect relationship.
In healthcare, cost allocation is particularly important for determining the true cost of patient care, including both direct and indirect costs. This can help hospitals and other healthcare organizations make informed decisions about resource allocation, pricing, and reimbursement strategies.
Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health coverage for low-income individuals, including children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Eligibility, benefits, and administration vary by state, but the program is designed to ensure that low-income individuals have access to necessary medical services. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and the states, and is administered by the states under broad federal guidelines.
Medicaid programs must cover certain mandatory benefits, such as inpatient and outpatient hospital services, laboratory and X-ray services, and physician services. States also have the option to provide additional benefits, such as dental care, vision services, and prescription drugs. In addition, many states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover more low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Medicaid is an important source of health coverage for millions of Americans, providing access to necessary medical care and helping to reduce financial burden for low-income individuals.
The "drug industry" is also commonly referred to as the "pharmaceutical industry." It is a segment of the healthcare sector that involves the research, development, production, and marketing of medications or drugs. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter medicines used to treat, cure, or prevent diseases and medical conditions in humans and animals.
The drug industry comprises various types of organizations, such as:
1. Research-based pharmaceutical companies: These are large corporations that focus on the research and development (R&D) of new drugs, clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals, manufacturing, and marketing their products globally. Examples include Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, and Merck.
2. Generic drug manufacturers: After the patent for a brand-name drug expires, generic drug manufacturers can produce and sell a similar version of the drug at a lower cost. These companies must demonstrate that their product is bioequivalent to the brand-name drug in terms of safety, quality, and efficacy.
3. Biotechnology companies: These firms specialize in developing drugs using biotechnological methods, such as recombinant DNA technology, gene therapy, or monoclonal antibodies. Many biotech companies focus on specific therapeutic areas, like oncology, immunology, or neurology.
4. Contract research organizations (CROs): CROs provide various services to the drug industry, including clinical trial management, data analysis, regulatory affairs support, and pharmacovigilance. They work with both large pharmaceutical companies and smaller biotech firms to help streamline the drug development process.
5. Drug delivery system companies: These organizations focus on developing innovative technologies for delivering drugs more effectively and safely to patients. Examples include transdermal patches, inhalers, or long-acting injectables.
6. Wholesalers and distributors: Companies that purchase drugs from manufacturers and distribute them to pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare providers.
The drug industry plays a crucial role in improving public health by discovering, developing, and delivering new treatments for various diseases and medical conditions. However, it is also subject to criticism and regulation due to concerns about high drug prices, marketing practices, and the potential for conflicts of interest between industry and healthcare professionals.
Health resources refer to the personnel, facilities, equipment, and supplies that are used in the delivery of healthcare services. This includes:
1. Human resources: Healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.
2. Physical resources: Hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and other healthcare facilities.
3. Technological resources: Medical equipment and technology used for diagnosis and treatment, such as MRI machines, CT scanners, and electronic health records.
4. Financial resources: Funding for healthcare services, including public and private insurance, government funding, and out-of-pocket payments.
5. Informational resources: Research findings, evidence-based practices, and health education materials that inform healthcare decision-making.
The adequate availability, distribution, and utilization of these health resources are crucial for ensuring access to quality healthcare services and improving population health outcomes.
Patient compliance, also known as medication adherence or patient adherence, refers to the degree to which a patient's behavior matches the agreed-upon recommendations from their healthcare provider. This includes taking medications as prescribed (including the correct dosage, frequency, and duration), following dietary restrictions, making lifestyle changes, and attending follow-up appointments. Poor patient compliance can negatively impact treatment outcomes and lead to worsening of symptoms, increased healthcare costs, and development of drug-resistant strains in the case of antibiotics. It is a significant challenge in healthcare and efforts are being made to improve patient education, communication, and support to enhance compliance.
I'm sorry for any confusion, but "Markov Chains" is a term from the field of mathematics and probability theory, not medicine. Markov Chains are mathematical systems that undergo transitions from one state to another according to certain probabilistic rules. They are named after Russian mathematician Andrey Markov. These chains are used in various fields, including computer science, physics, economics, and engineering, but not commonly in medical definitions or contexts.
Hospital costs are the total amount of money that is expended by a hospital to provide medical and healthcare services to patients. These costs can include expenses related to:
* Hospital staff salaries and benefits
* Supplies, such as medications, medical devices, and surgical equipment
* Utilities, such as electricity, water, and heating
* Facility maintenance and renovation
* Equipment maintenance and purchase
* Administrative costs, such as billing and insurance processing
Hospital costs can also be classified into fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are those that do not change with the volume of services provided, such as rent or depreciation of equipment. Variable costs are those that change with the volume of services provided, such as supplies and medications.
It's important to note that hospital costs can vary widely depending on factors such as the complexity of care provided, the geographic location of the hospital, and the patient population served. Additionally, hospital costs may not always align with charges or payments for healthcare services, which can be influenced by factors such as negotiated rates with insurance companies and government reimbursement policies.
Retrospective studies, also known as retrospective research or looking back studies, are a type of observational study that examines data from the past to draw conclusions about possible causal relationships between risk factors and outcomes. In these studies, researchers analyze existing records, medical charts, or previously collected data to test a hypothesis or answer a specific research question.
Retrospective studies can be useful for generating hypotheses and identifying trends, but they have limitations compared to prospective studies, which follow participants forward in time from exposure to outcome. Retrospective studies are subject to biases such as recall bias, selection bias, and information bias, which can affect the validity of the results. Therefore, retrospective studies should be interpreted with caution and used primarily to generate hypotheses for further testing in prospective studies.
National health programs are systematic, large-scale initiatives that are put in place by national governments to address specific health issues or improve the overall health of a population. These programs often involve coordinated efforts across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and social services. They may aim to increase access to care, improve the quality of care, prevent the spread of diseases, promote healthy behaviors, or reduce health disparities. Examples of national health programs include immunization campaigns, tobacco control initiatives, and efforts to address chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. These programs are typically developed based on scientific research, evidence-based practices, and public health data, and they may be funded through a variety of sources, including government budgets, grants, and private donations.
British Columbia is a province located on the west coast of Canada. It is not a medical term or concept. The province has a diverse geography, with mountains, forests, and coastal areas. Its largest city is Vancouver, and its capital is Victoria. The province is known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as its vibrant cities and cultural attractions. It is home to a number of medical facilities and healthcare providers, and the provincial government plays a role in regulating and funding healthcare services within the province.
Treatment outcome is a term used to describe the result or effect of medical treatment on a patient's health status. It can be measured in various ways, such as through symptoms improvement, disease remission, reduced disability, improved quality of life, or survival rates. The treatment outcome helps healthcare providers evaluate the effectiveness of a particular treatment plan and make informed decisions about future care. It is also used in clinical research to compare the efficacy of different treatments and improve patient care.
Automation in the medical context refers to the use of technology and programming to allow machines or devices to operate with minimal human intervention. This can include various types of medical equipment, such as laboratory analyzers, imaging devices, and robotic surgical systems. Automation can help improve efficiency, accuracy, and safety in healthcare settings by reducing the potential for human error and allowing healthcare professionals to focus on higher-level tasks. It is important to note that while automation has many benefits, it is also essential to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidents and maintain quality of care.
Practice guidelines, also known as clinical practice guidelines, are systematically developed statements that aim to assist healthcare professionals and patients in making informed decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. They are based on a thorough evaluation of the available scientific evidence, consensus of expert opinion, and consideration of patient preferences. Practice guidelines can cover a wide range of topics, including diagnosis, management, prevention, and treatment options for various medical conditions. They are intended to improve the quality and consistency of care, reduce unnecessary variations in practice, and promote evidence-based medicine. However, they should not replace clinical judgment or individualized patient care.
Medicare is a social insurance program in the United States, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), that provides health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; or who have certain disabilities; or who have End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant).
The program consists of four parts:
1. Hospital Insurance (Part A), which helps pay for inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, and home health care.
2. Medical Insurance (Part B), which helps pay for doctors' services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services.
3. Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), which are private insurance plans that provide all of your Part A and Part B benefits, and may include additional benefits like dental, vision, and hearing coverage.
4. Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D), which helps pay for medications doctors prescribe for treatment.
Medicare is funded by payroll taxes, premiums paid by beneficiaries, and general revenue. Beneficiaries typically pay a monthly premium for Part B and Part D coverage, while Part A is generally free for those who have worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters.
Hospitalization is the process of admitting a patient to a hospital for the purpose of receiving medical treatment, surgery, or other health care services. It involves staying in the hospital as an inpatient, typically under the care of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. The length of stay can vary depending on the individual's medical condition and the type of treatment required. Hospitalization may be necessary for a variety of reasons, such as to receive intensive care, to undergo diagnostic tests or procedures, to recover from surgery, or to manage chronic illnesses or injuries.
I apologize, but "Canada" is not a medical term or concept. It is a country located in North America, known for its vast wilderness, multicultural cities, and significant natural resources. If you have any questions related to healthcare or medical terms, I would be happy to help answer those!
I'm sorry for any confusion, but the term "Great Britain" is not a medical concept or condition. It is a geographical and political term referring to the largest island in the British Isles, on which the majority of England, Scotland, and Wales are located. It's also used to refer to the political union of these three countries, which is called the United Kingdom. Therefore, it doesn't have a medical definition.
Combination drug therapy is a treatment approach that involves the use of multiple medications with different mechanisms of action to achieve better therapeutic outcomes. This approach is often used in the management of complex medical conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and cardiovascular diseases. The goal of combination drug therapy is to improve efficacy, reduce the risk of drug resistance, decrease the likelihood of adverse effects, and enhance the overall quality of life for patients.
In combining drugs, healthcare providers aim to target various pathways involved in the disease process, which may help to:
1. Increase the effectiveness of treatment by attacking the disease from multiple angles.
2. Decrease the dosage of individual medications, reducing the risk and severity of side effects.
3. Slow down or prevent the development of drug resistance, a common problem in chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS and cancer.
4. Improve patient compliance by simplifying dosing schedules and reducing pill burden.
Examples of combination drug therapy include:
1. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV treatment, which typically involves three or more drugs from different classes to suppress viral replication and prevent the development of drug resistance.
2. Chemotherapy regimens for cancer treatment, where multiple cytotoxic agents are used to target various stages of the cell cycle and reduce the likelihood of tumor cells developing resistance.
3. Cardiovascular disease management, which may involve combining medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, and statins to control blood pressure, heart rate, fluid balance, and cholesterol levels.
4. Treatment of tuberculosis, which often involves a combination of several antibiotics to target different aspects of the bacterial life cycle and prevent the development of drug-resistant strains.
When prescribing combination drug therapy, healthcare providers must carefully consider factors such as potential drug interactions, dosing schedules, adverse effects, and contraindications to ensure safe and effective treatment. Regular monitoring of patients is essential to assess treatment response, manage side effects, and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
A factual database in the medical context is a collection of organized and structured data that contains verified and accurate information related to medicine, healthcare, or health sciences. These databases serve as reliable resources for various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, researchers, students, and patients, to access evidence-based information for making informed decisions and enhancing knowledge.
Examples of factual medical databases include:
1. PubMed: A comprehensive database of biomedical literature maintained by the US National Library of Medicine (NLM). It contains citations and abstracts from life sciences journals, books, and conference proceedings.
2. MEDLINE: A subset of PubMed, MEDLINE focuses on high-quality, peer-reviewed articles related to biomedicine and health. It is the primary component of the NLM's database and serves as a critical resource for healthcare professionals and researchers worldwide.
3. Cochrane Library: A collection of systematic reviews and meta-analyses focused on evidence-based medicine. The library aims to provide unbiased, high-quality information to support clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes.
4. OVID: A platform that offers access to various medical and healthcare databases, including MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO. It facilitates the search and retrieval of relevant literature for researchers, clinicians, and students.
5. ClinicalTrials.gov: A registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies conducted around the world. The platform aims to increase transparency and accessibility of clinical trial data for healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients.
6. UpToDate: An evidence-based, physician-authored clinical decision support resource that provides information on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of medical conditions. It serves as a point-of-care tool for healthcare professionals to make informed decisions and improve patient care.
7. TRIP Database: A search engine designed to facilitate evidence-based medicine by providing quick access to high-quality resources, including systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, and practice recommendations.
8. National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC): A database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents developed through a rigorous review process. The NGC aims to provide clinicians, healthcare providers, and policymakers with reliable guidance for patient care.
9. DrugBank: A comprehensive, freely accessible online database containing detailed information about drugs, their mechanisms, interactions, and targets. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, healthcare professionals, and students in the field of pharmacology and drug discovery.
10. Genetic Testing Registry (GTR): A database that provides centralized information about genetic tests, test developers, laboratories offering tests, and clinical validity and utility of genetic tests. It serves as a resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients to make informed decisions regarding genetic testing.
Employer health costs refer to the financial expenses incurred by employers for providing healthcare benefits to their employees. These costs can include premiums for group health insurance plans, payments towards self-insured health plans, and other out-of-pocket expenses related to employee healthcare. Employer health costs also encompass expenses related to workplace wellness programs, occupational health services, and any other initiatives aimed at improving the health and well-being of employees. These costs are a significant component of overall employee compensation packages and can have substantial impacts on both employer profitability and employee access to quality healthcare services.
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- The "Transparent Drug Pricing Act of 2019," sponsored by Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rick Scott of Florida, would - like the Trump Administration's rule - make the costs of drugs more readily available to patients and interested consumers. (nationalcenter.org)
Biosimilars7
- Also, biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name medications. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- The HELP committee provision would require manufacturers of biologics (large-molecule drugs) and biosimilars (nearly identical copies of original biologics) to report patent-settlement agreements to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - an important step in understanding and preventing abuse of what is sometimes referred to as "pay for delay. (commonwealthfund.org)
- That changed in 2012 when the FDA laid out a regulatory pathway to approve the drugs, known as 'biosimilars. (foxbusiness.com)
- We predict that biosimilars will lead to a $44.2 billion reduction in direct spending on biologic drugs from 2014 to 2024. (rand.org)
- Who will benefit the most from the cost savings from biosimilars? (rand.org)
- We predict that biosimilars will lead to a $44.2 billion reduction in direct spending on biologic drugs from 2014 to 2024, or about 4 percent of total biologic spending over the same period, with a range of $13 billion to $66 billion. (rand.org)
- Biosimilars are expected to increase competition and drive down prices, though not as dramatically as less-complex generic drugs did when they entered the market in the 1980s. (rand.org)
Medications12
- Out-of-pocket costs for neurologic medications have risen dramatically over the past decade, with the fastest rise reported among drugs for multiple sclerosis. (medscape.com)
- As with all medications, the cost of Cimzia can vary. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- The industry argues that critics wrongly focus on list prices for medications, which are higher than the actual cost paid for drugs after factoring rebates and -negotiated discounts. (startribune.com)
- Schondelmeyer argued -Friday that the 10 percent figure doesn't include the cost of drugs administered in hospitals and doctor offices, where a growing number of costly specialty medications are used. (startribune.com)
- Biotech drugs have never faced generic competition in the United States because the FDA did not have a system to approve copies of such medications. (foxbusiness.com)
- Many patients in the U.S. struggle to comply with their doctors' orders because they can't afford their medications, yet most doctors fail to discuss drug cost concerns with their patients. (rochester.edu)
- The study , published in the Annals of Internal Medicine , suggests physicians and staff are more likely to discuss drug costs with their patients after attending a one-hour training session covering how important drug costs are to patients, how to screen for patients in need, and how to help patients save money on medications. (rochester.edu)
- It's important for patients to understand they have options and that their doctor doesn't want the cost of medications to be a burden that prevents them from taking them. (rochester.edu)
- Washington, D.C. - September 20, 2022 - Every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality care and health coverage - and that includes getting the medications they need at a cost they can afford. (ahip.org)
- Drug companies spend a lot of money to develop new and innovative medications, and they need to recoup their spending on these and failed drugs through market pricing. (nationalcenter.org)
- Although more than 25 antiretroviral medications are available from 6 major classes, an ART regimen for treatment-naive patients generally consists of 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in combination with a third active ART drug from 1 of 3 drug classes: an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), or a protease inhibitor (PI) with a pharmacologic enhancer (ie, cobicistat or ritonavir). (medscape.com)
- The mean number of drugs prescribed per patient decreased by 14.8% and that of antibiotics by 33.3%, while prescriptions for inhaled medications increased. (who.int)
Competition7
- Through a combination of patent expirations and legal challenges, price competition in India drove down the cost of the most common HIV therapy by more than 80 percent between 2003 and 2008 . (salon.com)
- A 2018 study from I-MAK found that companies amass patents on existing drugs, blocking competition: The top 12 grossing drugs in the U.S. had an average of 71 patents granted, which almost doubled the time these drugs are protected from generic competition. (salon.com)
- Drug companies use patent lawsuits and other expensive, time consuming tactics to block and delay generic competition. (pirg.org)
- The result: no competition and drug prices remain high. (pirg.org)
- These patent thickets extend the drug company's monopoly by creating major hurdles for potential generic competitors, and ultimately cost patients and the public billions of dollars by delaying competition. (pirg.org)
- This allows drug companies to prevent competition for years or even decades past the end of a drug's primary patents. (pirg.org)
- In addition, the Trump administration has directed the FDA to import generic drugs in situations where there is sufficient supply of a given drug in the U.S. but a lack of price competition. (commonwealthfund.org)
Billions3
- Federal health officials say they approved the first lower-cost copy of a biotech drug, a long-awaited milestone that could generate billions in savings for insurers, doctors and patients. (foxbusiness.com)
- The act, a significant part of the Biden presidential agenda, puts billions of dollars into energy extraction and IRS enforcement, as well as health care reforms in Medicare drug pricing and Affordable Care Act extension. (democrats.org)
- Hubwonk host Joe Selvaggi talks with Pioneer Institute's Dr. Bill Smith about his recently released paper entitled, "340B Drug Discounts, An Increasingly Dysfunctional Federal Program," which analyzes the evolution of a well-intentioned program to offer discounted drugs to the uninsured from a benefit that had helped charitable hospitals to one that has exploded to generate billions in profits while serving fewer uninsured. (pioneerinstitute.org)
Americans17
- She noted that 1 in 4 Americans has difficulty paying for medication, and many report going without a medication because of cost. (medscape.com)
- Meanwhile, Americans continue to pay the highest prices in the world for brand-name drugs. (salon.com)
- Many of them currently face hundreds of dollars in monthly out-of-pocket costs - an unaffordable burden for many low- and even middle-income Americans. (chicagotribune.com)
- Hundreds of common medicines - not just insulin - are unaffordable for ordinary Americans because middlemen in the drug supply chain inflate patients' out-of-pocket costs. (chicagotribune.com)
- The American Society of Addiction Medicine, a non-profit organization, says that 20.5 million Americans over the age of 12 have a substance abuse disorder- only 2.6 million of whom use prescription pain relievers or heroin, with the remainder using substances that include marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines and other types of prescription drugs. (selfgrowth.com)
- Meanwhile, MAGA Republicans - including presidential candidates - have consistently opposed actions to lower health care costs, including railing against and calling to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act , which millions of Americans rely on. (democrats.org)
- 2024 Republicans, however, have railed against and vowed to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which is already lowering health care costs for hardworking Americans. (democrats.org)
- Rather than take real action to improve the economic well-being of millions of Americans who struggle with skyrocketing prescription drug costs, Trump's plan has done little to lower drug costs and, in fact, could actually make them more expensive. (democrats.org)
- While Trump has shown where his loyalties lie, Democrats will stand up to corporate greed, and continue to fight to lower prescription drug costs and restore economic fairness for all Americans. (democrats.org)
- One month after Trump unveiled his drug pricing plan, Americans are still suffering the consequences of the administration's inaction. (democrats.org)
- Trump's drug plan does little to lower the price of prescription drugs, and could actually make them more expensive for millions of Americans. (democrats.org)
- The latest PR effort by the huge organization touts its lobbying to "help Americans afford high healthcare costs. (workerscompensation.com)
- CMS estimates that in 2015 Americans spent $457 billion on prescription drugs - 16.7 percent of overall personal health care services. (concordcoalition.org)
- As drug costs continue to eat up more of hardworking Americans' premiums , we must work together to lower drug prices to improve health care affordability and access for everyone. (ahip.org)
- Stacy warns that Americans who now enjoy top-rate, high-quality health care have "too much to lose" in embracing prescription drug price controls. (nationalcenter.org)
- Americans have access to 95% of cancer drugs released worldwide between 2011 and 2018. (nationalcenter.org)
- Americans are paying the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world, Sanders noted in a recent blog post . (thefiscaltimes.com)
Quired drug resistance1
- Nearly on surveillance data ( 1 - 6 ), which omit some cases of ac- three-quarters of patients were hospitalized, 78% complet- quired drug resistance and changes in regimens. (cdc.gov)
Afford3
- Others help people cover the whole cost of medicines they can't afford to pay for. (cancer.org)
- The only drug that works is a drug that a patient can afford. (mdanderson.org)
- At Recovery.org.uk, we understand that not everyone can afford private luxury treatment for drug addiction. (recovery.org.uk)
Outcomes5
- Drug practices, outcomes, and costs associated with MDR TB resistance was extensive, care was complex, treatment for cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and completion rates were high, and treatment was expensive. (cdc.gov)
- Ever-larger rebates are distorting the market for branded drugs and producing outcomes that often benefit neither consumers nor the healthcare system, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. (pioneerinstitute.org)
- Professional societies representing cancer specialists and advocating for cancer patients should be involved in reducing the hype around new cancer drugs that do not have a major impact on patient outcomes. (mdanderson.org)
- For the cost-effectiveness analysis, end-of-treatment outcomes will be used to estimate disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. (lu.se)
- We will conduct a societal cost-effectiveness analysis using Bayesian hierarchical models that account for the individual-level correlation between costs and outcomes as well as intra-cluster correlation. (lu.se)
50,0003
- For example, if a project's expected ROI will be reduced by $5,000 for every day of duration, then an activity that has critical path drag of ten days (i.e., is delaying project completion by ten days) will have a drag cost of $50,000. (wikipedia.org)
- The average cancer drug price for approximately 1 year of therapy or a total treatment duration was less than $10,000 before 2000, and had increased to $30,000 to $50,000 by 2005. (mdanderson.org)
- Inpatient treatment costs between $20,000 - $50,000 dollars on average. (crescentlife.com)
Prices43
- It's a terrible thing and it's happening to all patients," Katz Sand said, adding that the old credo of 'Yeah, the drug prices are high, but they are covered by insurance' is not a sustainable argument anymore. (medscape.com)
- Drug prices aren't fixed, with different insurance plans offering different pricing, deductibles, and co-pays. (medscape.com)
- Reps. Elijah Cummings and Peter Welch met with the president this week for a talk about prescription drug prices and efforts to lower the cost to consumers. (msnbc.com)
- Hoping for a repeat, in 2015 Krishtel turned the organization's focus to the United States, where skyrocketing drug prices increasingly threaten to drag families into financial ruin. (salon.com)
- The reasons for high prescription drug prices in America are complex and varied. (salon.com)
- And because PBMs generally pocket a set percentage of the discounts, they're incentivized to pressure drug companies to raise nominal "list" prices - but then demand bigger rebates. (chicagotribune.com)
- That's why the net, after-discount price of insulin has actually gone down in recent years, even as list prices and patient out-of-pocket costs have climbed. (chicagotribune.com)
- While the Trump administration has taken small steps to implement its blueprint to lower prescription drug prices, Congress has recently made quiet progress on some policies that could help lower drug costs for patients. (commonwealthfund.org)
- While they enable pharmacists to advise patients on how to spend less at the pharmacy counter, these bans won't necessarily lower the prices of drugs. (commonwealthfund.org)
- Second, a lesser-known provision of S. 2554, added by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), could help lower drug prices by shedding light on patent-settlement agreements between drug manufacturers. (commonwealthfund.org)
- Brand-name manufacturers sometimes use these agreements to extend their monopolies and keep drug prices higher by directly and indirectly compensating generic manufacturers for voluntarily delaying generics from coming to market. (commonwealthfund.org)
- The Inflation Reduction Act requires drug manufacturers to pay a rebate to the federal government if prices for single-source drugs and biologicals covered under Medicare Part B and nearly all covered drugs under Part D increase faster than the rate of inflation (CPI-U). (democrats.org)
- Unsurprisingly, so far this money has been passed along to their wealthy shareholders instead of used to lower drug prices. (democrats.org)
- Two weeks after Trump unveiled his plan to lower drug prices, two cancer drugs got a $1,000-per-month price hike, in addition to dozens of other price increases. (democrats.org)
- Experts warn that instead of lowering drug prices, Trump's plan could actually significantly increase out-of-pocket costs for some of the sickest people on Medicare. (democrats.org)
- Pharmaceutical companies received a disportionately large giveaway from the Trump tax, and are using it to pass along to their wealthy shareholders rather than lower drug prices. (democrats.org)
- The biggest pharmaceutical companies announced more than $50 billion in stock buybacks after the Trump tax, but made no plans to lower drug prices and have even cut back on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research. (democrats.org)
- Trump previously said the only reason the government didn't negotiate Medicare drug prices was because all of the politicians were in the pockets of the drug companies. (democrats.org)
- In a break from one of his major campaign promises, Trump did not call for Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers. (democrats.org)
- Despite Trump's campaign promise to save the United States $300 billion per year on prescription drugs, drug prices have soared under Trump's watch. (democrats.org)
- AARP's "research" doesn't discuss rebates - and the fact that plan sponsors are getting rebates, which drastically reduces the prices those sponsors pay for drugs. (workerscompensation.com)
- CMS also estimates that from 2010 to 2014, 30 percent of the growth in drug spending was driven by an increase in prescriptions per person, and another 30 percent was driven by either switches in the types of medication prescribed or increases in drug prices. (concordcoalition.org)
- Presently, physicians who administer drugs in their offices under Medicare Part B are paid based on a percentage of the drugs' average sale prices. (concordcoalition.org)
- The CMS pilot projects will follow recommendations from the non-partisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission by testing the impact of reducing the piece of physician payments directly tied to drug prices. (concordcoalition.org)
- But drug prices are out of control - with Big Pharma alone controlling the price. (ahip.org)
- The prices of patented cancer drugs in the United States have increased 5- to 10-fold from before 2000 until now, and the cost of new drugs continues to grow far ahead of inflation. (mdanderson.org)
- High cancer drug prices are harming patients because either you come up with the money, or you die. (mdanderson.org)
- As the Trump Administration finalized a new regulation designed to lower prescription drug prices through the transparency of making costs known through advertising, two Republican senators also introduced legislation to cap domestic pricing at foreign levels. (nationalcenter.org)
- Many other countries set strict caps on drug prices. (nationalcenter.org)
- For instance, Canada's Patented Medicine Prices Review Board has the power to force drug companies to lower prices. (nationalcenter.org)
- Gore's plan would provide a drug benefit directly under Medicare, while Texas Gov. George W. Bush's (R) plan would rely on an "array of insurers and HMOs" to offer prescription drug coverage, allowing drug companies to "retain much control over the prices. (californiahealthline.org)
- Surging Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has vowed to step up his attack on the "outrageous profits" of pharmaceutical companies by introducing legislation in the Senate next week to allow Medicare officials to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- According to a 2013 study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the federal government could save as much as $541 billion over the coming decade by negotiating for lower drug prices similar to those paid in other industrialized countries. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- However, as part of the landmark Medicare Part D prescription drug program enacted in 2003 during the administration of President George W. Bush, Medicare was prohibited from negotiating drug prices, setting prices or establishing uniform lists of covered drugs. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Just last year, drug prices jumped by 12.6 percent, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Sanders - who currently leads Hillary Clinton in the polls in New Hampshire and trails her by only seven points in Iowa -- has been hammering away at the problem of higher drug prices for consumers and government agencies for the past year. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- He launched an investigation with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) into recent spikes in generic drug prices. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- People should not have to go without the medication they need just because their elected officials aren't willing to challenge the drug and health care industry lobby … Between our government's unwillingness to negotiate prices and its failure to effectively fight fraud, it's no wonder drug prices are out of control. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Instruct the Department of Health and Human Services to begin negotiating lower prices with drug companies doing business with the government under the Medicare Part D drug program. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- That would include the total cost claimed for research and development - a major factor in soaring drug prices - and the portion of development expenses that are offset by tax credits or covered by federal grants. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- The prohibition on Medicare negotiating over drug prices was a major concession by the Bush administration to the pharmaceutical industry - one that has prevailed for over a decade, despite repeated vows by President Obama to repeal the costly ban. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Obama promised to change the law to allow Medicare officials to begin negotiating with drug companies to lower prices, but pulled back that promise in negotiating with pharmaceutical industry over the terms of 2010 Affordable Care Act. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Obama's fiscal 2016 budget plan unveiled early this year proposed allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices for biotechnology treatments and other expensive drugs covered by Part D "to ensure access to and affordability of these treatments. (thefiscaltimes.com)
Patients32
- Ensuring a fair system for drug pricing and coverage rules that balance the goods of individual patients with the needs of broader populations when resources are limited remains more important than ever," Tsou said. (medscape.com)
- Commenting on the statement for Medscape Medical News, Ilana Katz Sand, MD, associate director of the Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City, noted that clinicians are already acutely aware of the effect high drug costs have on their patients' medical decisions. (medscape.com)
- She has a number of patients who have rationed their medication or stopped taking it altogether when their co-pays increased or they lost access to a co-pay assistance program because their insurance company chose to cover a still-expensive generic drug with no assistance program over a slightly costlier brand-name medication that comes with patient discounts. (medscape.com)
- The lower price of generic drugs makes them more affordable for health service providers and patients compared with brand-name drugs. (britannica.com)
- By 2007, she came up with a strategy to slash the cost of HIV drugs in India: On behalf of patients' rights groups, lawyers with the nonprofit Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge (I-MAK) she had cofounded would challenge specific patent applications on brand-name drugs, opening opportunities for generic manufacturers. (salon.com)
- For a majority of people who receive a five-day treatment of the drug using six vials (based on current patterns), the total charged to hospitals for patients with private insurance in the U.S. will be $3,120. (go.com)
- In May, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the drug for emergency use to treat patients hospitalized with severe cases of COVID-19. (go.com)
- version of the blockbuster drug Neupogen, which is used to boost blood cells in cancer patients and had $839 million in U.S. sales last year. (foxbusiness.com)
- MDR TB patients reported to the Centers for Disease Con- of TB cases but requires lengthy regimens of toxic drugs, trol and Prevention from California, New York City, and imposes high costs on the health care system and society, Texas during 2005-2007. (cdc.gov)
- Now that Fiscella and his colleagues have shown that training can increase the frequency of drug-cost conversations, their next step will be to see whether those conversations helped patients comply with their doctors' orders. (rochester.edu)
- Before this year, vaccines for Covid-19, the flu, pneumonia and hepatitis B, for higher risk patients, were covered by Medicare Part B with no cost sharing. (democrats.org)
- S. 609, a bill that would limit out-of-pocket costs for patients paying for prescription drugs, is a clear step in the right direction. (pioneerinstitute.org)
- For a generic drug competitor to be able to sell its lower priced version of a drug to patients, it must show that the brand-name drug company's existing patents are invalid or don't apply to their medication. (pirg.org)
- Patent thickets mean higher costs for patients. (pirg.org)
- Another test will look at whether reducing cost-sharing for patients impacts which drugs get prescribed. (concordcoalition.org)
- Cancer patients rely on innovative, highly effective prescription drugs, yet rising drug costs are potentially shutting the door to these life-saving treatments. (ahip.org)
- Median annual oncology drug spending per Medicare Part B patient, for example, increased from $9,325 to $18,761 from 2016 to 2020, and from $27,761 to $52,016 for Medicare D patients, according to an analysis from the Journal of the American Medical Association. (ahip.org)
- On '60 Minutes,' Kantarjian spoke to Stahl about the cost of the CML drug Gleevec, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that extends the lives of most patients by 10 or more years. (mdanderson.org)
- Bringing a new drug to patients is expensive, time-consuming and risky. (nationalcenter.org)
- Some residential facilities accept government funding from patients so that the drug rehab cost is not so high. (recovery.org.uk)
- The drug rehab cost associated with an outpatient programme is cheaper as there is no need for patients to stay in the facility. (recovery.org.uk)
- While most patients would like to access a luxury facility for inpatient care, the cost can prevent them from doing so. (recovery.org.uk)
- A new study has shown a stroke-prevention drug designed to be an improvement over prior treatments is less cost-effective for most patients than warfarin, the blood thinner with a 50-year history of helping prevent blood clots and strokes. (sciencedaily.com)
- The study, conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found, however, that the new drug would be cost-effective for those atrial fibrillation patients whose risk of bleeding is high. (sciencedaily.com)
- AstraZeneca, the company that developed Exanta, had submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration for approval of the drug as an agent to prevent strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation as well as to prevent blood clots in other conditions. (sciencedaily.com)
- Unfortunately, patients have different sensitivities to warfarin, so it's difficult to adjust the dose, especially when initiating the drug. (sciencedaily.com)
- Gage and Washington University medical student Cara O'Brien compiled data from patients with atrial fibrillation and from the doctors that treated them, adjusting their ranking of each drug based on quality of life measures. (sciencedaily.com)
- However, because of its higher price, Exanta was not cost-effective for most patients: the small gain in quality of life did not make up for the higher price in patients at low risk of bleeding. (sciencedaily.com)
- On the other hand, the study showed that in patients with a high risk of bleeding as well as a significant risk of stroke, Exanta could increase quality of life and thereby increase its cost-effectiveness to a level that is acceptable by current U.S. health-care standards. (sciencedaily.com)
- Health-care providers and their patients may opt to consider using antiretroviral drugs after nonoccupational HIV exposures that carry a high risk for infection, but only after careful consideration of the potential risks and benefits and with a full awareness of the gaps in current knowledge. (cdc.gov)
- Health-care providers may want to provide their patients with a system for promptly initiating evaluation, counseling, and follow-up services after a reported sexual, injecting-drug-use, or other nonoccupational HIV exposure that might put a patient at high risk for acquiring infection. (cdc.gov)
- RÉSUMÉ Nous avons évalué la mise en œuvre de l'approche pratique de la santé respiratoire (APSR) dans les services de soins de santé primaires de la République arabe syrienne et ses effets à court terme sur les soins respiratoires chez les patients âgés de 5 ans et plus. (who.int)
Transparency4
- As for rebates and discounts, Schondelmeyer said drug manufacturers should provide full information about these price cuts - including any rebates that might be going to pharmacy benefit manufacturers (PBMs) - so there's more transparency in the system. (startribune.com)
- Schondelmeyer said in an interview that employers need to push for transparency on costs from PBMs, medical plans, pharmacies and specialty pharmacies. (startribune.com)
- Require drug companies to provide price information regarding overseas sales of their products as well as sales to federal agencies in order to provide greater transparency in assessing whether Medicare and other federal agencies are getting a fair shake. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Congress moved forward with its efforts to address drug shortages, drug pricing, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and transparency ahead of the August recess. (cobioscience.com)
Centers4
- Overall drug deaths for the year numbered 63,600 - up from 52,400 total in 2015, according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (selfgrowth.com)
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) released a report last week on increased prescription drug spending in the United States with projections for such spending to grow more quickly than overall health care spending. (concordcoalition.org)
- You can use our filter above to see only recovery centers that offer one of these types of treatment as well as average costs. (crescentlife.com)
- There are a number of Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers around you. (crescentlife.com)
Medicare Prescription Drug5
- The donut hole, some spell it "doughnut," was a part of Medicare's prescription drug benefit from its beginning in 2006, three years after Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. (aarp.org)
- reports that it is apparent drug companies "fear" Vice President Al Gore's Medicare prescription drug plan "could lead to price controls. (californiahealthline.org)
- Furthermore, although three months ago Bush "had no plan to provide" a Medicare prescription drug benefit and "was badly trailing" Gore on the issue, he has since made up lost ground. (californiahealthline.org)
- compares how the Pozzas would fare under both Gore's and Bush's Medicare prescription drug benefit plans, determining that in the "short run, because of their Social Security income level, only the Gore plan would help them -- if Congress actually agreed to pay its much heftier price in full. (californiahealthline.org)
- If you receive the full Extra-Help, full LIS, or are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, there are Medicare Prescription Drug plans in your state the will qualify for the $0 monthly premium. (q1medicare.com)
Congress3
- In 2003, Congress required patent-settlement agreements between brand-name and generic small-molecule drug manufacturers to be filed with the FTC for review after they are made. (commonwealthfund.org)
- A recent Kaiser Health Tracking Poll found that 76 percent of adults think that the top healthcare priority for Obama and the Republican-controlled Congress should be "making sure that high-cost drugs for chronic conditions, such as HIV, hepatitis, mental illness and cancer, are affordable to those who need them. (thefiscaltimes.com)
- Sad to say, I wasn't at all surprised to read the tab for the Medicare drug benefit passed two years ago by Congress will almost double from the original $400 billion to some $720 billion. (mercola.com)
Outpatient5
- Outpatient medical benefit specialty drugs may include those with more complicated administration requirements (e.g. (buck.com)
- These drugs are reimbursed after a health care provider - physician office, home health provider or outpatient hospital facility - submits a claim. (buck.com)
- The burden of identifying these high-cost reimbursements rests with employers, who need to undertake a cost assessment of their outpatient specialty drug claims under their medical plans to uncover these egregious claims. (buck.com)
- The most common types of treatment people look for in an alcohol and drug rehab center are Inpatient, Outpatient, Detox and Free or Low Cost. (crescentlife.com)
- Outpatient programs typically cost somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000 dollars. (crescentlife.com)
PBMs2
- In 2020 alone, drug companies gave out $187 billion in discounts and rebates, largely to PBMs. (chicagotribune.com)
- The FTC has even gone as far as asking for the public's input about how PBMs are driving up costs while restricting access. (chicagotribune.com)
Programme2
- Yet the cost is modest for a new, patented antiviral drug, says Rose, and is precisely why the funding programme, called Project BioShield , was set up - and renewed, for $2.8 billion, this month. (newscientist.com)
- WHO Action Programme on Essential Drugs. (who.int)
Year15
- Over the past year, insurers and the companies they hire to manage pharmacy benefits have been making more noise about rising medication costs. (startribune.com)
- This month, the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, which is a trade group for nonprofit insurers in the state, reported that drug costs in 2014 increased by 14.1 percent over the previous year - the biggest one-year jump since 2004. (startribune.com)
- By some estimates, this costs U.S. employers in excess of $81 billion dollars a year because about 70 percent of users are employed. (selfgrowth.com)
- These anticompetitive agreements cost taxpayers approximately $3.5 billion each year . (commonwealthfund.org)
- Drug shortages are costing U.S. hospitals at least $359 million a year on labor costs alone, a new study from Vizient suggests . (beckershospitalreview.com)
- The Illinois-based manufacturer of heavy machinery said it has carried out price increases twice this year to offset higher raw material costs. (yahoo.com)
- Caterpillar's shares were the biggest drag on the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday, having outperformed the blue chip index so far this year. (yahoo.com)
- The company said materials and freight costs will be higher in the second half of the year. (yahoo.com)
- People who do not take their medicines as directed by their doctor risk harming their health and also cost the NHS in the UK more than £500 million every year, a new study has reported. (pharmatimes.com)
- A UCLA-led cost analysis of the controversial new Alzheimer's disease drug aducanumab shows that ancillary care services, such as additional MRIs and neurologist visits to monitor the potential brain swelling and bleeding associated with the medication, account for nearly 20% of total Medicare costs related to the drug, or $6,564 per patient per year. (news-medical.net)
- Writing in the Journal of Oncology Practice earlier this year, Kantarjian spelled out the reasons for, and proposed solutions to, the high and rising price of cancer drugs in the U.S. (mdanderson.org)
- In 2012, 12 of the 13 new drugs approved for cancer indications were priced above $100,000 per year of therapy. (mdanderson.org)
- It costs $38,000 a year. (ksjd.org)
- For a year of treatment, Anthem says it's paying Aware about the same as the cost of a month or two of inpatient treatment. (ksjd.org)
- 80 000 USD/ year initially provided by the University of Melbourne, as a starting up (including training activities and development of education material) after the first years the Provincial Health Department covered the running cost. (who.int)
Inpatient3
- This means that those who are eligible for funding can access private inpatient care without worrying too much about the cost. (recovery.org.uk)
- Most inpatient drug rehabs take insurance from any of the major carriers which will help offset the cost. (crescentlife.com)
- Methods: Hospital discharge data for eight states (Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and Washington) were obtained from the State Inpatient Databases, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (cdc.gov)
20184
- Drafted by the Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee - a joint committee that includes the AAN, the American Neurological Association, and the Child Neurology Society - the statement was prompted by a 2018 report from the AAN Neurology Drug Pricing Task Force to address challenges associated with high drug costs. (medscape.com)
- A 2018 study by Robin Feldman, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, found that 78 percent of new drug patents between 2005 and 2015 were for existing drugs. (salon.com)
- 2. During the six-month period from July through December 2018, more than half (64 percent) of the respondents said they had managed at least 20 drug shortages. (beckershospitalreview.com)
- 5. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said that at least one of the medication errors they recorded from July 2018-December 2018 were related to a drug shortage. (beckershospitalreview.com)
Biologic5
- Cimzia contains the active ingredient certolizumab pegol, and it's available only as a brand-name biologic drug . (medicalnewstoday.com)
- A biosimilar medication is similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the research needed to test their safety and effectiveness. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- The manufacturer of a biologic drug can sell it for up to 12 years . (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Will new FDA regulations allowing for the introduction of 'biosimilar' drugs (competing versions of complex biologic drugs) in the U.S. prescription drug market reduce health care costs? (rand.org)
Antiviral2
- The government also gave Siga Technologies in Corvallis, Oregon, $110 million to develop an antiviral drug to treat smallpox. (newscientist.com)
- The California-based drugmaker Gilead Sciences announced its pricing plans for remdesivir, an antiviral COVID-19 drug candidate, saying the treatment will cost $520 per dose for U.S. private insurance companies and $390 per dose for the U.S. government. (go.com)
Prescriptions3
- Read on to learn about Cimzia and cost, as well as how to save money on prescriptions. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Before Part D was introduced, Medicare beneficiaries typically had to pay all costs for their prescriptions not included in Medicare Part B unless they had coverage from another source, such as retiree insurance or a Medigap plan. (aarp.org)
- Examine how you can save with generic equivalents to name brand drugs, how mail order can save you money on long-term prescriptions, and whether a pre-tax medical spending account may save you money. (druglibrary.org)
Increases2
- Standard theory suggests that optimal consumer cost-sharing in health insurance increases with the price elasticity of demand, yet publicly-provided drug coverage typically involves uniform cost-sharing across drugs. (repec.org)
- The pharmaceutical industry says that those price increases reflect the high cost of research and develop and that critics often fail to take into account the advances being made in treatment. (thefiscaltimes.com)
Pharmaceutical industry6
- But the pharmaceutical industry contends that even with new drugs in the pipeline, medication costs will continue to account for roughly the same share of overall medical spending. (startribune.com)
- It's been a month since Donald Trump announced his drug plan, where he promised to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and rein in the costs of prescription drugs. (democrats.org)
- But it would also prohibit the pharmaceutical industry from "charg[ing] American consumers more for prescription drugs than they charge consumers in other industrialized nations like Great Britain, Canada or Germany. (nationalcenter.org)
- The inability to make back its investment may well keep the pharmaceutical industry from being able to move forward on the research and development of new and improved drugs. (nationalcenter.org)
- Since the turn of the century, the U.S. pharmaceutical industry has invested more than half a trillion dollars developing new drugs. (nationalcenter.org)
- Many improvements to the safety and security of the drug supply chain have occurred as the pharmaceutical industry has become global. (commonwealthfund.org)
Biosimilar2
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to release final regulations outlining lower-cost approval pathway requirements for so-called biosimilar drugs. (rand.org)
- The prospect of high litigation costs and long delay in some case deter competitors from even trying to enter the market with a generic or biosimilar. (pirg.org)
Specialty drugs1
- Specialty pharmacy refers to distribution channels designed to handle specialty drugs - pharmaceutical therapies that are high cost, high complexity and/or high touch. (buck.com)
Risen2
- The annual summit highlights areas of concern for employers, and the cost of specialty pharmaceuticals has risen to the top of the list for many, said Carolyn Pare, the group's chief executive. (startribune.com)
- This average varies from state to state, but it has been an increasing average in recent years and overall prescription drug cost has risen at a faster rate than other health care expenses. (druglibrary.org)
Detox1
- Detox is usually an extra cost on top of treatment which many people are not aware of. (crescentlife.com)
High6
- It highlights ethical concerns from high drug costs, policy proposals that might temper the problem, and how clinicians can adjust to the current reality of pharmaceutical pricing and better advocate for changes to the healthcare system. (medscape.com)
- But lawmakers shouldn't overlook the middlemen responsible for the high out-of-pocket costs of hundreds of drugs, not just insulin. (chicagotribune.com)
- In June 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved aducanumab to treat Alzheimer's disease despite questions about evidence related to the drug's efficacy and concerns about its high price. (news-medical.net)
- High touch refers to higher degree of complexity in terms of distribution, administration, or patient management which drives up the cost of the drugs. (buck.com)
- She was getting high on whatever drugs she could get her hands on. (ksjd.org)
- Objective: High-risk opioid prescribing practices in workers' compensation (WC) settings are associated with excess opioid-related morbidity, longer work disability and higher costs. (cdc.gov)
Food and Drug Admin2
- Of the top 10 selling drugs, 66% of patent applications were filed after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug. (pirg.org)
- These state laws will be important test cases of how to legally permit safe importation of lower-cost prescription drugs by entities other than manufacturers or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (commonwealthfund.org)
Resistance8
- in comparison, sociated with drug resistance, timely diagnosis, treatment estimated cost per non-MDR TB patient is $17,000. (cdc.gov)
- Improving appropriate antibiotic use and expanding use of vaccines may slow or reverse emerging drug resistance. (cdc.gov)
- Replicative fitness costs of nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug resistance mutations on HIV subtype C. (bvsalud.org)
- This study investigates how nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) drug resistance mutations of subtype C affect replication capacity. (bvsalud.org)
- The 103N, 106A, 106M, 181C, 188C, 188L, and 190A drug resistance mutations were placed in a reverse transcriptase (RT) that matches the consensus subtype C sequence as well as the HXB2 RT, as a subtype B reference. (bvsalud.org)
- Viral supression allows for immunologic improvement (as measured by CD4 counts), prevents the selection of drug-resistance mutation, and decreases HIV transmission to others. (medscape.com)
- It is important to obtain testing for drug resistance and hepatitis co-infection before intitiation of ART, as these results can impact choice of regimen. (medscape.com)
- In the setting of transmitted drug resistance, the choice of antiretroviral therapy should be tailored according the the results of resistance (typically genotype) testing. (medscape.com)
Kaiser Family Fou1
- Kaiser Family Foundation analyst Larry Levitt said, "The drug companies have made no secret of the fact that they much prefer the Bush and Republican plans for providing a prescription drug benefit plan for seniors. (californiahealthline.org)
Potentially3
- With 1.1 to 5.7 million Medicare beneficiaries who have mild dementia or cognitive impairment identified as potentially eligible for the drug, these ancillary services could substantially increase annual Medicare spending, the analysis shows. (news-medical.net)
- Title II of DQSA - the Drug Supply Chain Security Act - is designed to improve detection and removal of potentially dangerous drugs from the supply chain. (commonwealthfund.org)
- If the NRTI abacavir (ABC) is considered as part of treatment, HLA-B*5701 must be obtained and ABC only prescribed if the patient is negative for this haplotype, as persons who are positive are at risk for a potentially serious hypersensitivity reaction to the drug. (medscape.com)
Medically2
- Neurologists should be aware of the costs involved in ordering diagnostic tests, treatment, or medication - and shouldn't feel compelled to order treatments or tests that they feel are medically inappropriate just because a patient requests them, the authors write. (medscape.com)
- Since about 2010, the federal government (through the FDA) has facilitated the limited importation of medically critical drugs that are in short supply until domestic manufacturing reaches adequate capacity to end the shortage. (commonwealthfund.org)
Billion8
- The study found the median cost to develop a cancer drug is $648 million - much lower than the commonly cited $2 billion figure, which originated from a Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development report that used private datasets. (axios.com)
- Hubwonk Host Joe Selvaggi talks with ALVA10 Chief Executive Hannah Mamuszka and Dr. Blake Long about the perverse incentives imposed by Pharmacy Benefit Managers adding nearly $500 billion to U.S. drug costs. (pioneerinstitute.org)
- But President Donald Trump's proposed budget makes it clear this spreads far and wide, calling for '$27.8 billion for drug control efforts spanning prevention, treatment, interdiction, international operations, and law enforcement across 14 Executive Branch departments, the Federal Judiciary, and the District of Columbia. (scrippsnews.com)
- Rolling Stone ran a detailed investigation headlined 'The Drug War: Where the Money Goes,' putting the drug fighting figure at $16 billion back then. (scrippsnews.com)
- 2 billion to the Bureau of Prisons, plus $5 billion spent on state facilities and local jails largely housing drug offenders. (scrippsnews.com)
- The annual drug war budget has ballooned to more than $51 billion annually. (scrippsnews.com)
- All told, it costs approximately $2.6 billion and takes up to 15 years to create a single drug, according to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. (nationalcenter.org)
- To frame this underreporting in a clearer perspective, one table shows the cost of the drug benefit amounting to $345 billion. (mercola.com)
Recoup1
- Drug patents allow companies to recoup the costs of inventing a drug and reap rewards for innovation. (salon.com)
Shortages3
- For its study, Vizient's Drug Shortages Task Force surveyed 365 pharmacy leaders at hospitals across the U.S. to identify and quantify the labor-related operational and financial effects of drug shortages on its member health systems and hospitals. (beckershospitalreview.com)
- 1. Together, hospitals spent an average of 8.6 million hours of additional labor annually to manage drug shortages. (beckershospitalreview.com)
- 3. On average, buyers, pharmacists and pharmacy techs spent the most time managing drug shortages, often dedicating more than a day's work each week dealing with drug shortages. (beckershospitalreview.com)
Exclusivity1
- Sanders's proposed legislation would be accompanied by tough penalties for violations of its provisions or fraudulent activities, including termination of any remaining "market exclusivity period" for any drug product found to be in violation of criminal or civil law. (thefiscaltimes.com)
Antiretroviral4
- Some health-care providers have proposed offering antiretroviral drugs to persons with unanticipated sexual or injecting-drug-use HIV exposure to prevent transmission. (cdc.gov)
- Antiretroviral therapy should never replace adopting and maintaining behaviors that guard against HIV exposure (e.g., sexual abstinence, sex only with an uninfected partner, consistent and correct condom use, abstinence from injecting-drug use, and consistent use of sterile equipment by those unable to cease injecting-drug use). (cdc.gov)
- The Public Health Service (PHS) has recommended using antiretroviral drugs to reduce the acquisition of HIV infection among persons exposed in the workplace (e.g., accidental needlesticks received by health-care workers) (1,2). (cdc.gov)
- Although health-care providers and others have proposed offering antiretroviral drugs to persons with unanticipated sexual or injecting-drug-use HIV exposures (3,4), no data exist regarding the effectiveness of such therapy for these types of exposures. (cdc.gov)
Active ingredient2
- Primary patents typically cover a drug's active ingredient or chemical composition - the main reason it is considered a "new" drug and the innovation which makes the drug eligible for a patent allowing monopoly pricing. (pirg.org)
- They have the same active ingredient, but cost less than brand name drugs. (medlineplus.gov)
Brand-name10
- generic drug , therapeutic substance that is equivalent to a brand-name drug with respect to its intended use, its effects on the body, and its fate within the body. (britannica.com)
- Generic drugs tend to be sold at a much lower price than brand-name drugs, because the companies that manufacture generics bypass the expense of research and development , clinical trials, regulatory approval, and marketing associated with brand-name drugs. (britannica.com)
- The regulation of generic drugs is based mainly on their bioequivalence (degree of similarity) to the original brand-name agents. (britannica.com)
- Generic drugs are required to contain the same active ingredients as the brand-name versions, and they must meet the same requirements for preparation. (britannica.com)
- The manufacture of a generic drug is legal when the patent for the brand-name drug has expired, a patent was never issued, the patent will not be infringed, or the patent is not enforceable in the country where the generic drug is manufactured and sold. (britannica.com)
- A company may also manufacture a generic drug if it can verify that the original brand-name drug patent was invalid or unenforceable. (britannica.com)
- In anticipation of patent expiration, many companies with brand-name drugs create a generic product of their own or license the product to generic companies. (britannica.com)
- Some countries have also allowed their manufacturers to produce generic drugs to treat major diseases when the health services of those countries have not been able to fund the cost of brand-name drugs. (britannica.com)
- Patents on another adult HIV drug and on a liquid formulation for children were also refused, which enabled broad access to the drugs for millions of low-income Indians - and people around the world in subsequent years because they were supplied by Indian generic manufacturers at a fraction of the brand-name cost. (salon.com)
- In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in FTC v. Actavis that a brand-name drug manufacturer's payment to a generic competitor to settle patent litigation can violate antitrust law. (commonwealthfund.org)
Healthcare2
- For example, Medicare Part B covers the cost of some drugs that a doctor gives in a healthcare setting. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- AARP would serve its members better by doing something to actually reduce the cost of healthcare. (workerscompensation.com)
Lower7
- Such agreements effectively delay the sale of lower-cost generic drugs by nearly 17 months longer than agreements without payments, according to a 2010 report by the FTC. (commonwealthfund.org)
- The cost to develop a cancer drug may be significantly lower than what some companies claim, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine . (axios.com)
- Today, President Biden is continuing his efforts to lower prescription drug costs for working families by announcing the first batch of prescription drugs to undergo price negotiations with Medicare. (democrats.org)
- Patent thickets block generic drug makers from competing with lower-priced alternatives. (pirg.org)
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed legislation that allows the state to import lower-cost prescription drugs. (commonwealthfund.org)
- Years before this, hundreds of private and nonfederal government employers in the U.S. began to encourage their employees to import lower-cost drugs using a Canadian company to find the lowest-cost drugs from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. (commonwealthfund.org)
- More recently, the FDA finalized guidance for using imported, lower-cost biologics to serve as comparators in studies of similar products seeking approval in the U.S. market. (commonwealthfund.org)
Companies24
- There is a chance for quick reform: President Biden has yet to name a new director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, who could make it tougher to extend drug patents or easier for generic companies to challenge them. (salon.com)
- U pharmacy Prof. Stephen Schondelmeyer said that drug companies have a huge pipeline of promising pharmaceuticals that are scheduled to come to market in the coming years. (startribune.com)
- We aren't saying [drug companies] can't make money," Pare said in an interview. (startribune.com)
- This can incur hazards and costs in the workplace - and is a primary reason why companies have workplace drug and alcohol policies and mandatory employee drug testing programs. (selfgrowth.com)
- While significant progress has been made with the majority of companies adopting strong drug and alcohol policies , the battle is far from over. (selfgrowth.com)
- By adopting strong drug and alcohol policies in the workplace, companies are experience positive It starts at the top, with company leadership establishing a commitment and funding the programmatic tools for eliminating workplace substance abuse . (selfgrowth.com)
- Along with these policies, companies engage testing services to screen potential employees with pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. (selfgrowth.com)
- Company supervisors can now receive "reasonable suspicion" drug and alcohol training that prepares and enables them to identify potential problems among current workers in the Companies have also found that utilizing random drug testing in the workplace helps keep their workforce healthy and productive, maximizing growth and Employees who are involved with drug and alcohol abuse are less productive and less reliable. (selfgrowth.com)
- Real Occupational also provides affordable alcohol and drug testing and training to employers in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, with a focus on the transportation industry, including DOT exams and DMV medical exams, as well as services for local schools, trucking companies and professional offices. (selfgrowth.com)
- There was little smallpox vaccine left, and companies could not make more, because with the disease gone, no one would want to buy a drug to combat it. (newscientist.com)
- But in this study of 10 cancer drugs developed by biotech companies and approved between 2006 and 2015, some of the companies made more than 10 times as much as they spent on research and development. (axios.com)
- Business Insider points out that the study didn't look at larger pharmaceutical companies, which may invest differently in R&D, and exclusively analyzed cancer drugs that may carry different costs - and revenues - compared to other fields. (axios.com)
- President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act requires pharmaceutical companies to rebate Medicare for price hikes that exceed inflation, caps seniors' out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month, and makes adult vaccines available to Medicare enrollees at no cost. (democrats.org)
- Trump's plan breaks his promises and, according to himself, shows he's sold out to the drug companies. (democrats.org)
- To understand how big drug companies abuse the U.S. patent system, get a basic understanding of the U.S. patent system. (pirg.org)
- The U.S. patent system, which is critical to spurring innovation, has flaws that drug companies exploit. (pirg.org)
- To keep competitors off the market, drug companies file dozens, and sometimes even hundreds, of patent applications for the same drug. (pirg.org)
- So, what are some of the patent abuse tactics used by drug companies? (pirg.org)
- Drug companies often file applications for secondary patents years after the primary patent is granted. (pirg.org)
- "Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies already know that they need to do two apparently conflicting things: try to reduce the number of experiments that they do, and try to test for more side effects of potential drugs during early development," Armaghan Naik and Robert F. Murphy, lead authors of the research told us. (outsourcing-pharma.com)
- Such restrictions make drug companies unable or unwilling to sell their products in many foreign countries. (nationalcenter.org)
- That's bad news for drug companies, which already face massive barriers to success. (nationalcenter.org)
- Drug companies account for two of the top five corporate and organizational GOP donors and six of the top 20 GOP donors. (californiahealthline.org)
- Require pharmaceutical companies to report information to the HHS Secretary that affects drug pricing. (thefiscaltimes.com)
America3
- This is the drug that, if you're hospitalized, can reduce the length of your stay by a third,' Azar told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview on 'Good Morning America. (go.com)
- That might sound like the sort of America-first policy we need to reduce health care costs. (nationalcenter.org)
- America has led the world in drug development for decades. (nationalcenter.org)
Generic4
- The purpose of this study was to estimate the cost of generic drug development and approval. (hhs.gov)
- This study develops an analytical framework for examining the expected net present value (ENPV) (i.e., the difference between the present value of expected revenues over product life and cost of product development and approval) to a generic drug developer in different size drug markets. (hhs.gov)
- The developed framework forms the basis for an accompanying operational model that enables the user to specify numerous details of a generic drug development project and provides cost, revenue, and ENPV estimates for the project being examined. (hhs.gov)
- A drug company that wants to sell a competing generic drug would have to successfully challenge each of those 74 patents before they could offer their own version of the medicine . (pirg.org)
10,0001
- If the addition of a resource that costs $10,000 would reduce the activity's drag to five days, the drag cost would be reduced by $25,000 and the project's expected ROI would be increased by $15,000 ($25,000 minus the additional $10,000 of resource costs). (wikipedia.org)
Biotech1
- Biotech drugs are powerful, injected medicines produced in living cells. (foxbusiness.com)
Expensive6
- Drug and alcohol abuse can be expensive. (selfgrowth.com)
- Developing a drug is expensive. (newscientist.com)
- Health economists often note the resulting perverse incentives: Physicians benefit monetarily from prescribing more expensive - but not necessarily more effective - drugs. (concordcoalition.org)
- Some of the most expensive drugs coming to market will be hiding and covered under the medical benefit. (buck.com)
- The United Kingdom simply refuses to cover drugs that bureaucrats deem too expensive. (nationalcenter.org)
- The truth is that drug rehab can be expensive, but not always. (recovery.org.uk)
Medicines2
- They often know about programs and resources that might help with the costs of medicines. (cancer.org)
- There are a few ways to cut costs on your medicines . (medlineplus.gov)
Rehab7
- Drug rehab cost is often an issue for some people, and it can be enough to prevent many from reaching out for help. (recovery.org.uk)
- The drug rehab cost will depend on the type of treatment one chooses. (recovery.org.uk)
- Since we believe that drug rehab cost should not be something that prevents those who need treatment from getting it, we work with all types of treatment providers, whether these are in the private or public sector. (recovery.org.uk)
- For some, the drug rehab cost is a major factor when it comes to deciding where to get treatment. (recovery.org.uk)
- We take many factors into consideration when making referrals, and drug rehab cost is one of them. (recovery.org.uk)
- Nonetheless, it is important to remember that the drug rehab cost is just one factor to consider. (recovery.org.uk)
- Harlan has 1 Alcohol and Drug Rehab(s) listed below. (crescentlife.com)
Higher6
- Reuters) -Caterpillar Inc on Friday reported higher quarterly earnings but said profits will suffer in the current quarter because of rising costs, sparking a sell-off in its shares. (yahoo.com)
- Still, higher materials and freight costs, marketing and R&D spending and employee compensation are expected to hurt the company's operating profit margin in the quarter through September. (yahoo.com)
- We find that private plans set higher consumer cost-sharing for drugs or classes with more elastic demand. (repec.org)
- If you pick a plan with higher premiums, more of your health costs will be covered. (medlineplus.gov)
- During 1999--2010, the percentage of working-age adults who reported that in the past 12 months they needed prescription drugs but did not obtain them because of cost was higher among those in families with low income than in families with higher income. (cdc.gov)
- The West Anniston Foundation has an extensive have higher prevalence of diabetes (17%) listing of educational and social resources and compared with other Alabama residents (10%) services available at low or no cost. (cdc.gov)
Factors2
- The cost of the drug with and without insurance can depend on several factors. (medicalnewstoday.com)
- We needed a common currency to make the comparison, so we accounted for quality of life factors and analyzed the way each drug affected quality-adjusted survival. (sciencedaily.com)
Seniors2
- There are a lot of seniors out there that are deciding, 'should I take my drugs, or should I eat? (democrats.org)
- reports that through a "massive advertising blitz from business groups, Republicans have managed to erode some of the Democrats' political advantage on the issue of prescription drugs for seniors. (californiahealthline.org)
Importation1
- Existing law permits both wholesale and personal importation of prescription drugs from Canada with the approval of the HHS Secretary. (commonwealthfund.org)
Patent7
- For an entirely new drug, a U.S. patent enables a company to sell it exclusively for a set period of time, typically for 20 years from the date it was filed. (salon.com)
- O ne patent application Krishtel and I-MAK challenged was held by Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories on a formulation of its HIV drug Aluvia that does not require refrigeration - crucial in hot climates like India. (salon.com)
- At the Indian patent office in Delhi, she argued that the technique used to make the drug heat stable was not new, Abbott had merely applied the technology to its own drug. (salon.com)
- Under Indian patent law , a drug cannot be re-patented unless it is also more effective than the existing patented form. (salon.com)
- Patent examiners have limited time to review each one and sometimes grant a patent for obvious and not-new changes to a drug. (pirg.org)
- A patent thicket is created when a drug company strategically applies for and amasses dozens of approved patents on a single drug - essentially wrapping their drug in so many patents that no competitor could ever challenge them all. (pirg.org)
- Reviewing and reducing the research bureaucracy and burdens could eliminate unnecessary steps that increase cost, delay timelines, and shorten drug patent times. (mdanderson.org)
Typically cost1
- They typically cost much more than traditional, chemical-based drugs. (foxbusiness.com)
Health care4
- Those with prescription drug coverage through an employer sponsored health care plan should learn their plan in detail. (druglibrary.org)
- We see significant variances in how much health care providers are reimbursed for the same quantity of the same amount of the same drug. (buck.com)
- The cost of health care continues to rise. (medlineplus.gov)
- That is why it helps to learn how to take steps to limit your out-of-pocket health care costs. (medlineplus.gov)
Taxpayer money2
- The watchdog group Public Citizen is calling Gilead's pricing of the drug an 'offensive display of hubris and disregard for the public' because of what it estimates to be $70 million in estimated taxpayer money used to develop the drug through federal grants and clinical trials. (go.com)
- At this point, the war on drugs has exceeded $1 trillion of taxpayer money by most estimates, and the administration is accelerating the fight given the deadly rise of opioids and heroin. (scrippsnews.com)
FDA's1
- Exanta has been approved for use in about ten European countries, and observers believe AstraZeneca may soon appeal the FDA's original ruling and again seek approval for the drug in the U.S. (sciencedaily.com)
Estimates1
- Previous spending estimates did not explicitly quantify aducanumab's ancillary costs and did not incorporate this price reduction. (news-medical.net)
Innovation1
- We should not have to choose between affordability and innovation when it comes to prescription drugs. (ahip.org)