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Prescription Drug Benefits

Brochure

Improving Medicare Payment Policies

RAND's work on Medicare payment policies has played a major role in improving payment systems, helping to better align incentives for providers and promote delivery of high-value care for patients.

Jun 26, 2013
Brochure

Measuring the Quality of Health Care

RAND is engaged in developing and supporting the use of quality measures by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Jun 26, 2013
Journal Article

The Role of Specialty Drugs in Private Sector Healthcare Spending

Specialty drugs account for a modest share of total healthcare spending, even among the highest cost patients. Even dramatic reductions in spending on specialty drugs would have only a modest effect on total healthcare costs.

Jan 1, 2013
Journal Article

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Medicare Part D Experiences

Racial/ethnic minorities report more difficulties in getting drugs and needed information through Medicare's Part D program. However, quality improvement efforts may reduce these disparities in beneficiary experience with prescription drug coverage.

Oct 29, 2012
Journal Article

Access to and Use of $4 Generic Drug Programs

Programs that offer 30 days' worth of selected generic drugs for $4 have become important options for seniors to obtain affordable medications, but little is known about access to these programs and the characteristics of those who use them.

Oct 1, 2012
Blog

When Patients Don't Take Their Medicine: What Role Do Doctors Play in Promoting Prescription Adherence?

Medication non-adherence affects up to 40 percent of older adults, especially those with chronic conditions, and is associated with poor outcomes, more hospitalizations, and higher mortality. A new paradigm that clarifies joint provider–patient responsibility is needed.

Aug 29, 2012
Dissertation

Planning for an Aging Nation: New Estimates to Inform Policy Analysis for Senior Health

Provides insights into the costs and challenges of providing health care to the elderly population.

Apr 12, 2012
Journal Article

Survey Results Show That Adults Are Willing to Pay Higher Insurance Premiums for Generous Coverage of Specialty Drugs

This study estimated how healthy people value insurance coverage of specialty drugs, defined as high-cost drugs that treat cancer and other serious health conditions like multiple sclerosis, by quantifying willingness to pay via a survey.

Apr 1, 2012
News Release

Financial Burden of Prescription Drugs Is Dropping, but Costs Remain a Challenge for Many Families

The financial burden Americans face paying out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs has declined, although prescription costs remain a significant challenge for people with lower incomes and those with public insurance.

Feb 8, 2012
Journal Article

Financial Burden of Prescription Drugs Is Dropping, but Costs Remain a Challenge for Many Families

The financial burden Americans face paying out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs has declined, although prescription costs remain a significant challenge for people with lower incomes and those with public insurance.

Feb 1, 2012
Journal Article

Sources of Regional Variation in Medicare Part D Drug Spending

Regional variation in Medicare Part D spending for prescription drugs results largely from differences in the cost of drugs selected rather than prescription volume.

Feb 1, 2012
Journal Article

Atypical Antipsychotics May Aid Symptoms for Some Off-Label Conditions, but Not Others

Evidence supports the effectiveness of some atypical antipsychotics in reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and behavioral symptoms in elderly patients with dementia. There is insufficient evidence that the medications are effective for treating eating disorders, substance abuse and insomnia.

Sep 1, 2011
Report

How Should Drugs Be Identified in Electronic Prescribing Systems?

The set of computer-interpretable identifiers currently used in electronic prescribing does not support the specific needs of prescribers and pharmacists. RxNorm, a rigorously derived system of drug identifiers that more accurately reflect the prescriber's intent, has potential to improve e-prescribing transactions.

Jul 20, 2011
Research Brief

How Should Drugs be Identified in Electronic Prescribing Systems?

RxNorm has potential to improve how medications are represented in e-prescribing transactions.

Jul 20, 2011
Journal Article

Potential Savings from Greater Use of $4 Generic Drugs

This paper presents findings from a study evaluating who may be using $4 programs and identifying potential national savings from broad use of these programs.

Mar 1, 2011
Journal Article

Use of Prescription Drug Samples and Patient Assistance Programs, and the Role of Doctor-Patient Communication

Doctor-patient communication is strongly associated with use of patient assistance programs; this link has important implications for clinical care regardless of whether the programs are viewed as drivers of prescription costs or a remedy for them.

Jan 1, 2011
Journal Article

Using Matched Survey and Administrative Data to Estimate Eligibility for Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy Program

This article uses matched survey and administrative data to estimate, as of 2006, the size of the population eligible for the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), which was designed to provide "extra help" with premiums, deductibles, and copayments for Medicare Part D beneficiaries with low income and limited assets.

Jan 1, 2010
Research Brief

Prescription Drug Cost Sharing: A Powerful Policy Lever to Use with Care

Describes the effects that prescription drug cost sharing has on drug spending, compliance with drug therapy, patient health, and overall health care costs.

Oct 21, 2009
Dissertation

Essays on Government Policy and Pharmaceutical Innovation

Investigates two mechanisms by which governments may influence pharmaceutical research and development priorities: (1) public funding for life sciences research; and (2) prescription drug insurance, as in Medicare Part D.

Sep 23, 2009
News Release

Medicare Prescription Benefit Program Has Exceeded Expectations

The program created to provide Medicare recipients with prescription drug benefits exceeded expectations during its first two years, extending pharmacy coverage to most seniors while reducing their overall spending on drugs.

Aug 24, 2009

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