Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
ACA Helps Reduce Out-Of-Pocket Spending On Prescription Drugs, Study Finds
Los Angeles Times: Obamacare Patients Filled More Prescriptions But Paid Less For Drugs, Study Finds
Patients who gained health coverage through the Affordable Care Act are filling significantly more prescriptions while paying less for their drugs, according to a new study that credits the health law and adds to evidence of its benefits for previously uninsured Americans and those with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. The innovative study is based on more than 1 billion pharmacy transactions from 2013 and 2014, which allowed researchers to look at how a sample of nearly 7 million patients were paying for drugs before and after the health law’s historic coverage expansion. (Levey, 8/17)
Forbes: Patient Prescriptions Jump 80% After ACA Gave Them Medicaid Coverage
Uninsured Americans went to the doctor and got needed prescriptions once covered under the Affordable Care Act while their out-of-pocket costs fell, according to a new analysis. A new RAND Corporation analysis is the latest evidence of pent up demand for healthcare services for those who didn’t have coverage and may bode well for better health outcomes and potentially lower costs down the road. The study is published in the September issue of the journal Health Affairs. (Japsen, 8/18)
Politico Pro: Study: Drug Use Up, Out Of Pocket Costs Down For Newly Insured By Obamacare
Previously uninsured people who gained coverage under Obamacare in 2014 used a lot more prescription drugs on average than they had before but spent much less out of pocket per prescription, according to a new study in Health Affairs. The newly insured who bought private Affordable Care Act plans filled 28 percent more prescriptions than they had in 2013 but paid 29 percent less for them, according to the findings of RAND Corporation researchers and an HHS analyst. Those who were newly covered by Medicaid filled 79 percent more prescriptions and paid 58 percent less per fill. (Norman, 8/17)
Morning Consult: Study Finds Obamacare Increased Prescription Drug Use, Reduced Spending
The study found that during the first year of Obamacare’s coverage expansion, the proportion of uninsured prescription drug users decreased by 30 percent. Uninsured people who gained private coverage between 2013 and 2014 also filled 28 percent more prescriptions and paid 29 percent less out-of-pocket per prescription in 2014 compared to the prior year. (Owens, 8/17)
Kaiser Health News: People With Obamacare Plans Filled More Prescriptions, But Had Lower Costs
The 2010 health law was meant to expand insurance coverage so that Americans could get medical care they would otherwise go without — and not spend a fortune doing so. Though it’s still early, new evidence suggests this scenario is playing out. Research published online by Health Affairs Wednesday examines what happened when people got insurance through the law — either with a private plan purchased via the online marketplaces or through Medicaid, the state-federal program for low-income people. The study specifically focuses on how many medical prescriptions they filled. (Luthra, 8/17)
