Fierce Healthcare January 2, 2024
Medicare Part D will cover certain over-the-counter products when prescribed by a clinician, and when it does, the program pays far more for these drugs, according to a recent study.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins identified 22 drugs that are available both over-the-counter and via prescription; in 2020, Medicare paid out claims for 20 of those therapies. The analysts then identified the OTC price for these drugs, finding prices for 19.
For 16 of the 19 drugs, cash prices were lower than the costs to Medicare. Savings ranged from 10% on the low end to a whopping 97% on the high end, according to the study. For example, omeprazole tablets to treat acid reflux cost 80...
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