On its front page, the Wall Street Journal (1/1, A1, Walker, Subscription Publication) reported that US prescription medication spending rose 12.2% last year, about five times faster than the growth rate in 2013, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS also announced that in 2014, out-of-pocket costs for prescription medicines rose by 2.7%. The rise in medication prices has led some middle-class patients to either forgo treatment, deplete savings, or take on new debt.
Related Links:
— “Patients Struggle With High Drug Prices,” Joseph Walker, Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2015.