<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
THURSDAY, May 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2004 to 2016, there was a considerable increase in out-of-pocket costs for neurologic medications, especially for those in high-deductible health plans, according to a study published online May 1 in Neurology<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Brian C. Callaghan, M.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues used a large, privately insured health care claims database from 2004 to 2016 to capture out-of-pocket costs for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), peripheral neuropathy, epilepsy, dementia, and Parkinson disease (PD; 105,355, 314,530, 281,073, 120,720, and 90,801 patients, respectively) seen by outpatient neurologists. Out-of-pocket costs were compared for those in high-deductible health plans versus traditional plans.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that MS medications had the fastest rise in monthly out-of-pocket expenses (mean, $15 in 2004 and $309 in 2016) with minimal differences between medications. In other conditions, out-of-pocket costs for brand-name medications also rose considerably. Patients in high-deductible health plans versus those not in these plans incurred about twice the monthly out-of-pocket expenses ($661 versus $246 for MS and $40 versus $18 for epilepsy in 2016). For MS and epilepsy medications, over time, the cumulative two-year out-of-pocket costs rose almost linearly ($2,238 and $230, respectively).<\/p>\n
“Neurologists should use out-of-pocket cost information to influence their prescribing practices, but first they must have this information available to them at the point of care,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.<\/p>\n
Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n