In California Commercial Health Plans, The 25 Most Frequently Prescribed Drugs Account For 43% Of Drug Spending

The costs of the 25 most frequently prescribed drugs in 2017 represented about 42.8% of the total $8.7 billion in total drug spending for California commercial health plans. These drugs represented 47.7% of prescription drugs dispensed through retail or mail order pharmacies and paid directly by commercial health plans. For the 25 most frequently prescribed drugs, enrollees paid 2.9% of the cost of specialty drugs and 56.6% of the cost of generics.

The California Department of Managed Care (DMHC) reported these findings in "2017 Prescription Drug Cost Transparency Report." The report was compiled in response . . .