CMS Actuary: Drug Price Spending Increased In 2018 Despite Price Drops

Retail prescription drug prices declined overall by 1% in 2018 but overall spending on retail prescription drugs increased by 2.5%, according to CMS’s National Health Expenditures survey , released on Thursday (Dec. 5). Health care expenditures on retail prescription drugs in 2018 reached $335 billion and made up 9% of overall health spending. Prescription drug spending grew by 2.5% in 2018, which is up from the 1.4% growth in 2017. But CMS says the growth in spending did not have...