
A recent rise in specialty drug prices—30 percent according to one analysis—combined with generic drug price increases threatens to undermine recent declines in overall health spending, lead to high cost sharing for vulnerable consumers and strain states’ Medicaid budgets. This primer discusses trends in drug spending, the impact on consumers, strategies for addressing high drug costs and ways advocates can engage to keep drug costs affordable for consumers. http://www.healthcarevaluehub.org/files/2014/2930/6814/Research_Report_No._5.pdf