Economic Implications of Evidence-Based Prescribing for Hypertension

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Abstract
Costs of medications for chronic conditions continue to escalate, particularly for the elderly.1,2 The Congressional Budget Office projected that in 2003, Medicare beneficiaries would spend an average of $2440 per person on prescription drugs.3 Although some older patients have supplemental insurance to cover the cost of prescription drugs,1 the proportion without coverage has increased in recent years.4 Vulnerable older patients may not fill prescriptions because of their lack of insurance coverage.5,6 Legislation to create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients was recently passed,7 but substantial co-payments will remain for many patients, and the cost of the benefit will likely be much higher than originally anticipated.8 Identification of areas in which clinical practice can be improved while lowering costs to patients and prescription drug plans will be critical to ensure the affordability of medications for older patients.