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Copay Coupons, Lower Utilization Reduced Out-Of-Pocket Spending On Retail Drugs In 2020

 
• By Cathy Kelly

Overall drug spending rose 3% to $348bn in 2020, according to the latest US National Health Expenditures report. COVID-19 lowered drug utilization and spending, but not as much as it impacted health care services.

Drug Spending By Payers Rose But More Slowly Than The Year Before • Source: Alamy

Patient out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs covered by the retail pharmacy benefit declined 4.2% in 2020 due in part to use of coupons that lowered costs at the point of sale, according to the annual National Health Expenditures report released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on 15 December.

The decrease in 2020 follows out-of-pocket spending increases of 3.5% in 2019 and 1.8% in 2018. The CMS report,...

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