Roulston Expert on Changes in Prescriptions Mix and Cost Sustainability

Dr.Randy Vogenberg, a recognized opinion leader to Fortune 500 employers, executive director of Biologic Finance & Access Council Program at Thomas Jefferson University's School of Population Health, and a member of our healthcare expert group, shared his thoughts on an ongoing shift in prescriptions mix. Two key trends are the move of precription drugs to over-the-conunter status and the increasing share of expensive biologic therapies, which is projected to increase 10-fold in the next 10 years, from 5% to 50% of the total mix. Biologics will raise the pressure on the country's ability to afford coverage. It's not clear even with the reform how we can accomplish it. In the typical benefit design, these higher costs are unsustainable. Dr. Vogenberg believes we'll see a continued shift to high-deductible plans combined with more traditional catastrophic coverage.