Aging Into Medicare Tied to Higher Drug Costs for People With Diabetes

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 17, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 17, 2024 -- As people with diabetes age into Medicare, they face increased quarterly out-of-pocket costs for medication, according to a study published online July 9 in JAMA Network Open.

Douglas Barthold, Ph.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues examined whether reaching age 65 years is associated with changes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) medication out-of-pocket costs and utilization. The analysis included seven years of prescription drug claims data for 129,997 individuals with T2D identified from the TriNetX Diamond Network (before and after turning 65 years).

The researchers found that reaching age 65 years was associated with an increase of $23.04 in mean quarterly out-of-pocket costs for T2D drugs, including an increase of $56.36 at the 95th percentile of spending, after utilization adjustment. At age 65 years, utilization decreased by 5.3 percent (3.40 claims per quarter to 3.22 claims per quarter). A shift in utilization composition showed increased insulin use, which was associated with additional increases in patient costs.

"The increased patient cost burden at age 65 years and a modest reduction in overall T2D drug utilization suggest that as people with T2D age into Medicare, there is potentially an increase in nonadherence and diabetes complications," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2024-07-18 03:15

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords