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Health News Index May/June, 2003
The Health News Index measures public attention to and knowledge about leading health stories covered in the news between May 1-30. The Health News Index is designed to help news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories Americans are following and what they understand about those issues.
The rapid increase in DTC advertising for prescription drugs has focused attention on its role in drug spending and prescribing. A new study by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising on spending for prescription drugs. The study found that, on average, a 10% increase in DTC advertising of drugs within a therapeutic drug class resulted in a 1% increase in sales of the drugs in that class.
Applying this result to the 25 largest drug classes in 2000, the study found that every $1 the pharmaceutical industry spent on DTC advertising in that year yielded an additional $4.20 in drug sales. DTC advertising was responsible for 12% of the increase in prescription drugs sales, or an additional $2.6 billion, in 2000. DTC advertising did not appear to affect the relative market share of individual d 6084 – Impact-of-Direct-to-Consumer-Advertising-on-Prescription-Drug-Spending-Summary-of-Findingsrugs within their drug class.
The rapid increase in DTC advertising for prescription drugs has focused attention on its role in drug spending and prescribing. A new study by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising on spending for prescription drugs. The study found that, on average, a 10% increase in DTC advertising of drugs within a therapeutic drug class resulted in a 1% increase in sales of the drugs in that class.
Applying this result to the 25 largest drug classes in 2000, the study found that every $1 the pharmaceutical industry spent on DTC advertising in that year yielded an additional $4.20 in drug sales. DTC advertising was responsible for 12% of the increase in prescription drugs sales, or an additional $2.6 billion, in 2000. DTC advertising did not appear to affect the relative market share of individual drugs within their drug class. A summary of the research and the full report are provided below.
Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on Medicare
A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public’s attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes a separate look at the differing views of younger and older Americans on this topic.
Toplines/Survey (.pdf)
Central to the current debate over Medicare prescription drug coverage is the role of private insurance plans in providing drug benefits to Medicare beneficiaries. This report offers views from health actuaries knowledgeable about the Medicare program and the prescription drug debate on key issues that emerge for potential plan sponsors, such as insurers and PBMs, in providing prescription drug benefits to Medicare beneficiaries through private, drug-only plans. The views of the actuaries were obtained through structured individual and group phone interviews conducted in the Spring of this year. To provide a framework for the discussion, actuaries were given a summary of the provisions contained in H.R. 4954 the bill that passed the House of Representatives in 2002. The proposals currently under consideration were not available at the time of the interviews.
The actuaries were guardedly optimistic that a drug-only private plan approach to providing Medicare prescription drug benefits could be viable, provided that certain key features were included. Most important were that there be adequate government subsidies of beneficiary premiums, and that, while plans should bear some insurance risk to provide incentives for efficiency, at least in the beginning, insurance risk should be shared between the private plans and the federal government. On the method of risk sharing, most of the actuaries said that risk corridors would be better and more attractive than reinsurance. Allowing only a one-time election of the drug benefit was also regarded as critical. Additional features seen by actuaries to increase the viability of plans offering a drug-only benefit included: the freedom to price premiums without arbitrary government limits; the ability to price premiums for local markets and not nationally; flexibility to exit the market (no guaranteed renewal as exists for Medigap insurers); some benefit flexibility, especially with respect to cost-sharing structures; preemption of most state laws and regulations to reduce the costs of compliance and make it easier to market on a multi-state or national basis; and an active role for the government in marketing and collecting premiums to reduce plans’ administrative costs. However, based on their experiences with M+C and Medigap, actuaries also regarded the government as an unreliable business partner and worried that the rules of the game would be significantly changed over time.
This chartpack outlines the findings of the national survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with SELF Magazine, of women on their sexual health. The study focuses on women attitudes, knowledge, and experiences relating to all facets of sexual health.
A public education partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation and SELF magazine, the : Take Charge of Your Sexual Health, shows that the stigma associated with STDs silences women, making it more difficult for them to get the information they need.
This chartpack provides 2003 and 2006 estimates of total and out-of-pocket prescription drug spending by Medicare beneficiaries. The data and analysis for this chartpack, prepared by Actuarial Research Corporation, assume no change in current law.
A public education partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation and SELF magazine, the : Take Charge of Your Sexual Health, shows that the stigma associated with STDs silences women, making it more difficult for them to get the information they need.
Section 1115 Waivers at a Glance: Summary of Recent Medicaid and SCHIP Waiver Activity
This summary of waiver activity is part of the Commission’s monitoring to provide information on how waivers are affecting the uninsured and the coverage provided to low-income Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries. It covers Section 1115 waivers submitted since August 2001.