Prescription Drug Use and Spending Report

Overview

CHIA has released its latest analysis on commercial prescription drug use and spending in an effort to shine a light on the drivers of pharmacy expenditures, including high volume and high-cost drugs. CHIA’s dashboard and detailed dataset, allows users to see drivers of prescription drug spending as well as the associated conditions these drugs treat.

For this analysis, CHIA used commercial pharmacy claims from the agency’s All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) to identify high volume and high-cost drugs between 2018-2022.

For additional information, including the methods and data used to produce this dashboard, see the accompanying technical appendix and dataset.

Report Materials (June 2024)

Executive Summary (PDF) Dataset (Excel) Technical Appendix (PDF)

Key Findings

Overall prescription drug utilization declined as the average cost per prescription increased.

Ten therapeutic classes of drugs, which include Immunosuppressants, Hormones & Synthetic Substances, and Cardiovascular Agents, accounted for over 90% of pharmacy expenditures each year.

Immunosuppressants, a class of drugs that inhibit immune system activity and are used to treat autoimmune diseases, accounted for the largest portion of spending. The top three drugs by expenditures during the five-year period were Humira, Stelara, and Enbrel, all Immunosuppressants.

The most frequently prescribed drugs (i.e., highest volume) during the five-year period were Atorvastatin Calcium and Lisinopril, both Cardiovascular Agents. Atorvastatin Calcium is used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels to reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel problems; Lisinopril is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.

Interactive Dashboard

Commercial Prescription Drug Use and Spending, 2018-2022

(June 6, 2024)

Previous Publications

Prescription Drug Rebate Data Submission

Find submission requirements and instructions for reporting prescription drug rebate data to CHIA, including deadlines, templates, and technical specifications.

Special Report: Drivers of Commercial Prescription Drug Spending, 2018-2022

There are two main drivers of changes in prescription drug spending—cost and utilization. From 2018 to 2022, overall prescription drug spending growth was driven by higher costs rather than greater utilization.