By Sara Heath, PatientEngagementHIT, April 20, 2017
Although cost-sharing saves Medicare money on pharmaceutical expenses, these savings are likely negated by low medication adherence and eventual health complications, found a new study published in the American Journal of Managed Care.
High chronic disease management costs (reaching nearly $245 billion in 2012) prompted Medicare to introduce cost-sharing protocol. In pharmaceuticals specifically, these measures asked patients to assume more financial responsibility for their medications.
However, evidence shows that Medicare’s cost-saving efforts may have been counterproductive. Read more here.