Part D Plan Preference For Higher-Cost Hepatitis C Drugs Led To Higher Medicare & Beneficiary Spending

On August 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published this report that found that Part D plan preference for higher-cost hepatitis C drugs led to higher Medicare and beneficiary spending. Medicare beneficiaries are much less likely to receive lower-cost versions of the same drugs (i.e., authorized generics)—as well as other widely-used lower-cost brand-name drugs—to treat hepatitis C. Part D’s programmatic structure may lead to plan sponsors preferring higher-cost versions, resulting in beneficiaries paying thousands more out-of-pocket and . . .