Medicare Monday: New study further confirms increased use of generics after Part D

On Medicare Monday, we’ve talked a lot about how things have changed since 2006 and the implementation of Part D. We’ve looked at how Part D costs less than originally projected, how premiums have remained steady and how competition has worked to keep costs low.

We’ve also highlighted what the Medicare Trustees report has shown, that there has been a steady increase year after year in the generic utilization rate for Part D beneficiaries. In fact, in 2015, the use of generics increased to 86 percent, according to the Medicare Trustees report, up from 85 percent in 2014.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Health Economics and Management took a closer look at the effect of the implementation of Part D, specifically at physician prescribing, and confirmed what the Medicare Trustees have found. According to the study, there has been “a 46% increase in the number of generic drugs prescribed or continued for the elderly after the introduction of Medicare Part D.”

When it comes to the impact of Part D, the facts speak for themselves. Since its implementation in 2006, the program has continued to ensure that beneficiaries have affordable access to the prescription medicines they need.

Learn more at PhRMA.org/PartD.