Php27 Canadian Public Drug Program Spending on Seniors, 2002 to 2008

Abstract

der commercial plans and PDP for 2 high-use drugs in each of the six therapeutic classes deemed medically necessary by CMS for beneficiaries as well as two statins, for reference. METHODS: TRx and OPC were collected annually from 2002 to 2009 for the two most prescribed drugs in the six medically necessary classes: anticonvulsants, antidepressants, oral antineoplastics, antipsychotics, immunosuppressants, and HIV/AIDS-plus statins (14 drugs total). Data are from SDI's VONA and VOPA, analyzed with 2-way ANOVA; significance at pϽ0.05. RESULTS: All drugs analyzed had annual increases of Ͼ10% per year in PDP prescription volume. However, nine drugs had significantly greater annual increases in commercial plan prescription volumes before PDP than after, compared to only one with significantly greater increases after PDP. Six drugs had significantly greater increases in overall prescription volume after PDP compared to before. Five drugs had annual OPC increases of at Ͼ10% per year in PDP compared to two that posted at least 10% annual decreases. Six drugs had significantly greater annual OPC increases before PDP compared to after under commercial plans; only one had greater increases after Part D compared to before. Five drugs showed significantly greater increases in overall OPC (all payment forms averaged) before PDP compared to after. CONCLUSIONS: In commercial drug plans, the advent of Part D correlates with slower increases in drug utilization. However, Part D utilization has increased significantly for all drugs, indicating a greater shift toward Part D plans. That only five drugs under Part D increased in OPC by more than 10% (and two decreased overall) suggests that this shift may be due to greater patient access.