Bexarotene: A Case Study of Medicare Part D’s Specialty Drug Shortcomings

Abstract

Specialty drugs are used to treat rare complex conditions and are often marked by their high costs. In fact, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines specialty drugs as those with monthly costs exceeding $670.1 These drugs have accounted for a disproportionate share of recent drug-spending growth for both patients and health plans. A recent analysis found that Medicare Part D spending on specialty drugs increased from $11.3 billion in 2011, to $35.4 billion in 2017.2