Smith D G
Department of Health Services Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-2029.
Inquiry. 1993 Summer;30(2):189-98.
Rising costs of prescription drugs are a concern to both private and public purchasers. Common methods of controlling or sharing costs include copayments and incentives to use generic substitutes. A study of prescription drug use and costs for a set of employer groups reveals that a common change in the rate of copayment from $3 to $5 per prescription is estimated to be associated with a 5% decrease in the number of prescriptions, an offsetting increase in ingredient costs per prescription, a 10% decrease in employer costs per person, and an increase in employee costs of approximately the $2 copayment per prescription.
处方药成本的不断上升是私人和公共购买者都关心的问题。控制或分担成本的常见方法包括自付费用以及鼓励使用通用替代品。一项针对一组雇主群体的处方药使用和成本的研究表明，每张处方的自付费用率从3美元普遍提高到5美元，估计会使处方数量减少5%，每张处方的成分成本相应增加，雇主人均成本降低10%，而员工成本则因每张处方增加约2美元的自付费用而上升。
