Retail Drug Spending In US Flat For 2017 Due Mainly To 'Non-Price' Factors

Drop in number of prescriptions dispensed for opioids contributed to minimal spending growth for retail prescription drugs in 2017, according to latest CMS National Health Expenditures Report.

US dollars and pills

US drug spending across commercial and government payers rose just 0.4% to $333.4bn in 2017, due mainly to "non-price" factors such as decreased utilization, according to the National Health Expenditures report released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dec. 6.

The 2017 spending trend continues the deceleration recorded in 2016, when the spending increase slowed to 2.3% after growth rates...

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