Assessment of Hypothetical Out-of-Pocket Costs of Guideline-Recommended Medications for the Treatment of Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions, 2009 and 2019

Systemic Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update

PURPOSE

To provide evidence-based recommendations for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

METHODS

An Expert Panel including patient representation completed a systematic review of the evidence and made recommendations.

RESULTS

Depending upon prior treatment received, androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs: enzalutamide, abiraterone with prednisone), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), chemotherapeutic agents (docetaxel, cabazitaxel), radiopharmaceuticals (radium 223, 177Lu-prostate-specific membrane antigen [PSMA]-617), and sipuleucel-T have demonstrated an overall survival (OS) benefit for patients with mCRPC. For patients with BRCA1/2 alterations who did not receive prior ARPI, the combination of PARPi and ARPI (talazoparib + enzalutamide, olaparib and/or niraparib + abiraterone) has shown clinical benefit. For patients with BRCA1/2 alterations who received prior ARPI or ARPI followed by docetaxel, olaparib showed OS benefit. In select patients with microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient, pembrolizumab showed clinical efficacy.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Prior systemic therapy for castration-sensitive prostate cancer will determine subsequent therapy used for mCRPC. Continue androgen-deprivation therapy for patients with mCRPC indefinitely. Early adoption of somatic genetic testing and palliative care is recommended. Patients with mCRPC and bony metastases should receive a bone-protective agent. The panel recommends the combination of ARPI with PARPi in patients with BRCA1/2 alterations who did not receive prior ARPI. For patients who received prior ARPI, the panel recommends docetaxel chemotherapy. The panel recommends 177Lu-PSMA-617 or cabazitaxel chemotherapy for patients who receive prior ARPI and docetaxel chemotherapy. For patients with BRCA1/2 alterations who received prior ARPI, the panel recommends PARPi monotherapy. Radium 223 is recommended for patients with symptomatic bone-only disease. Evidence for optimal sequencing for mCRPC regimens is lacking.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/genitourinary-cancer-guidelines.

Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Savings for Medicare Beneficiaries with Asthma and COPD Under the Inflation Reduction Act

BACKGROUND

High and rising prescription drug costs for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contribute to medication nonadherence and poor clinical outcomes. The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions that will cap out-of-pocket prescription drug spending at $2,000 per year and expand low-income subsidies. However, little is known about how these provisions will impact out-of-pocket drug spending for Medicare beneficiaries with asthma and COPD.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act's out-of-pocket spending cap and expansion of low-income subsidies on Medicare beneficiaries with obstructive lung disease.

DESIGN

We calculated the number of Medicare beneficiaries ≥ 65 years with asthma and/or COPD and out-of-pocket prescription drug spending > $2,000/year, and then estimated their median annual out-of-pocket savings under the Inflation Reduction Act's spending cap. We then estimated the number of beneficiaries with incomes > 135% and ≤ 150% of the federal poverty level who would become newly eligible for low-income subsidies under this policy.

PARTICIPANTS

Respondents to the 2016-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

MAIN MEASURES

Annual out-of-pocket prescription drug spending.

KEY RESULTS

An annual estimated 5.2 million Medicare beneficiaries had asthma and/or COPD. Among them, 360,160 (SE ± 38,021) experienced out-of-pocket drug spending > $2,000/year, with median out-of-pocket costs of $3,003/year (IQR $2,360-$3,941). Therefore, median savings under the Inflation Reduction Act's spending cap would be $1,003/year (IQR $360-$1,941), including $738/year and $1,137/year for beneficiaries with asthma and COPD, respectively. Total annual estimated savings would be $504 million (SE ± $42 M). In addition, 232,155 (SE ± 4,624) beneficiaries would newly qualify for low-income subsidies, which will further reduce prescription drug costs.

CONCLUSIONS

The Inflation Reduction Act will have major implications on out-of-pocket prescription drug spending for Medicare beneficiaries with obstructive lung disease resulting in half-a-billion dollars in total out-of-pocket savings per year, which could ultimately have implications on medication adherence and clinical outcomes.

Acupuncture improves the symptoms, gut microbiota, metabolomics, and inflammation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial protocol

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease. The occurrence of COPD is associated with gut microbiota, meticulous metabolism and inflammation. Acupuncture may be effective as an adjunctive therapy for COPD, but the available evidence is limited. This study aims to confirm whether acupuncture therapy has an adjunctive therapeutic effect on COPD and to investigate the relationship between the efficacy and the gut microbiota, metabolomics and inflammation.

Methods

This study is a multicenter randomized controlled trial. A total of 72 patients with stable COPD eligible will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either manual acupuncture (MA) or sham acupuncture (SA) without puncturing the skin. There will be no changes to the essential medicines used for all patients. The intervention will be 12 weeks, 3 times per week and follow-up will be 52 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes will include modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 6-min walk test (6MWT), and the number of moderate or severe acute exacerbations during follow-up. A total of 36 healthy volunteers will also be recruited as normal control. In addition, feces and blood will be collected from each participant to characterize the gut microbiota, metabolomics, immune cells and inflammatory cytokines. Differences between COPD patients and healthy participants will be observed, as well as changes before and after treatment in MA and SA groups. Ultimately, the correlation among gut microbiota, metabolomics, immune cells, inflammatory cytokines and clinical efficacy in COPD patients will be analyzed.

Discussion

This study will evaluate the efficacy and provide preliminary possible mechanisms of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy in treating COPD. In addition, it will identify biomarkers of the gut microbiota, metabolites, immune cells, and inflammatory cytokines associated with therapeutic efficacy. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The Economic Burden of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Living Longer but Poorer?

Treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has benefitted from a proliferation of new medications and devices. These treatments carry important clinical benefits, but also come with costs relevant to payers, providers, and patients. Patient out-of-pocket costs have been implicated in the avoidance of medical care, nonadherence to medications, and the exacerbation of health care disparities. In the absence of major health care policy and payment redesign, high-quality HFrEF care delivery requires transparent integration of cost considerations into system design, patient-clinician interactions, and medical decision making.

Predictive nomogram models for atrial fibrillation in COPD patients: A comprehensive analysis of risk factors and prognosis

The aim of the present study was to identify the independent risk factors and prognostic indicators for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to develop predictive nomogram models. This retrospective study included a total of 286 patients with COPD who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College between January 2020 and May 2022. The average age of the patients was 77.11±8.67 years. Based on the presence or absence of AF, the patients were divided into two groups: The AF group (n=87) and the non-AF group (n=199). Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify variables with significant differences between the two groups. Nomogram models were constructed to predict the occurrence of AF in COPD patients and to assess prognosis. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The follow-up period for the present study extended until April 31, 2023. Survival time was defined as the duration from the date of the interview to the date the participant succumbed or the end of the follow-up period. In the present study, age, uric acid (UA) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were found to be independent risk factors for the development of AF in patients diagnosed with COPD. The stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that age had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.072 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.019-1.128; P=0.007], UA had an OR of 1.004 (95% CI: 1.001-1.008; P=0.010) and LAD had an OR of 1.195 (95% CI: 1.098-1.301; P<0.001). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that LAD and UA were independent prognostic factors for long-term mortality in COPD patients with AF. LAD had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.104 (95% CI: 1.046-1.165; P<0.001) and UA had an HR of 1.004 (95% CI: 1.000-1.008; P=0.042). Based on these findings, predictive nomogram models were developed for AF in COPD patients, which demonstrated good discrimination ability with an area under the curve of 0.886. The prognostic nomogram for COPD patients with AF also showed good predictive accuracy with a concordance index of 0.886 (95% CI: 0.842-0.930). These models can provide valuable information for risk assessment and prognosis evaluation in clinical practice. Age, UA and LAD are independent risk factors for AF in COPD patients. The developed nomogram models provide a reliable tool for predicting AF in COPD patients and for prognosis assessment.

Cost-related medication nonadherence in adults with COPD in the United States 2013-2020

BACKGROUND

Cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) is associated with poor prognosis among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a population that requires long-term treatment for secondary prevention. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of CRN in individuals with COPD in the US.

METHODS

In a nationally representative survey of US adults in the National Health Interview Survey (2013-2020), we identified individuals aged ≥18 years with a self-reported history of COPD. Cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

Of the 15,928 surveyed individuals, a weighted 18.56% (2.39 million) reported experiencing CRN, including 12.50% (1.61 million) missing doses, 13.30% (1.72 million) taking lower than prescribed doses, and 15.74% (2.03 million) delaying filling prescriptions to save costs. Factors including age < 65 years, female sex, low family income, lack of health insurance, and multimorbidity were associated with CRN.

CONCLUSIONS

In the US, one in six adults with COPD reported CRN. The influencing factors of CRN are multifaceted and necessitating more rigorous research. Targeted interventions based on the identified influencing factors in this study are recommended to enhance medication adherence among COPD patients.

Costs of care and financial hardship among patients with heart failure

With the implementation of new therapies, more patients are living with heart failure (HF) as a chronic condition. Alongside these advances, out-of-pocket (OOP) medical costs have increased, and patients experience significant financial burden. Despite increasing interest in understanding and mitigating financial burdens, there is a relative paucity of data specific to HF. Here, we explore financial hardship in HF from the patient perspective, including estimated OOP costs for guideline-directed medical therapy for HF with reduced ejection fraction, hospitalizations, and total direct medical costs, as well as the consequences of high OOP costs. Studies estimate that high OOP costs are common in HF, and a large proportion are related to prescription drugs. Subsequently, the effects on patients can lead to worsening adherence, delayed care, and poor outcomes, leading to a financial toxicity spiral. Further, we summarize patients' cost preferences and outline future research that is needed to develop evidence-based solutions to reduce costs in HF.

The Economic Burden of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Living Longer but Poorer?

Treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has benefitted from a proliferation of new medications and devices. These treatments carry important clinical benefits, but also come with costs relevant to payers, providers, and patients. Patient out-of-pocket costs have been implicated in the avoidance of medical care, nonadherence to medications, and the exacerbation of health care disparities. In the absence of major health care policy and payment redesign, high-quality HFrEF care delivery requires transparent integration of cost considerations into system design, patient-clinician interactions, and medical decision making.

Clinician Response to Patient Medication Prices Displayed in the Electronic Health Record

This cross-sectional study examines whether clinicians changed their medication orders after seeing the patient’s out-of-pocket drug costs in the electronic health record.

Potentially inappropriate medications with older people in intensive care and associated factors: a historic cohort study

BACKGROUND

The epidemiology of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in critical care units remains limited, especially in terms of the factors associated with their use.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence and factors associated with PIMs use in intensive care units.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Historical cohort study was conducted in a high-complexity hospital in Brazil.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted on 314 patients aged ≥ 60 years who were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) at a high-complexity hospital in Brazil. The dates were extracted from a "Patient Safety Project" database. A Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess which factors were associated with PIMs. The statistical significance was set at 5%.

RESULTS

According to Beers' criteria, 12.8% of the identified drugs were considered inappropriate for the elderly population. The incidence rate of PIMs use was 45.8%. The most frequently used PIMs were metoclopramide, insulin, antipsychotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and benzodiazepines. Factors associated with PIMs use were the number of medications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17), length of hospital stay (OR = 1.07), and excessive potential drug interactions (OR = 2.43).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately half of the older adults in ICUs received PIM. Patients taking PIMs had a longer length of stay in the ICU, higher numbers of medications, and higher numbers of potential drug interactions. In ICUs, the use of explicit methods combined with clinical judgment can contribute to the safety and quality of medication prescriptions.

Osteoarthritis and Diabetes: Where Are We and Where Should We Go?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and osteoarthritis (OA) are chronic noncommunicable diseases that affect millions of people worldwide. OA and DM are prevalent worldwide and associated with chronic pain and disability. Evidence suggests that DM and OA coexist within the same population. The coexistence of DM in patients with OA has been linked to the development and progression of the disease. Furthermore, DM is associated with a greater degree of osteoarthritic pain. Numerous risk factors are common to both DM and OA. Age, sex, race, and metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) have been identified as risk factors. These risk factors (demographics and metabolic disorder) are associated with DM or OA. Other possible factors may include sleep disorders and depression. Medications for metabolic syndromes might be related to the incidence and progression of OA, with conflicting results. Given the growing body of evidence indicating a relationship between DM and OA, it is vital to analyze, interpret, and integrate these findings. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to evaluate the evidence on the prevalence, relationship, pain, and risk factors of both DM and OA. The research was limited to knee, hip, and hand OA.

Medication cost-reducing behaviors in older adults with atrial fibrillation: The SAGE-AF study

BACKGROUND

As patient prices for many medications have risen steeply in the United States, patients may engage in cost-reducing behaviors (CRBs) such as asking for generic medications or purchasing medication from the Internet.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to describe patterns of CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and examine participant characteristics associated with CRB.

METHODS

Data were from a prospective cohort study of older adults at least 65 years with AF and a high stroke risk (CHA2DS2VASc ≥ 2). CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications were evaluated using validated measures. Chi-square and t tests were used to evaluate differences in characteristics across CRB, and statistically significant characteristics (P < 0.05) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression to examine factors associated with CRB.

RESULTS

Among participants (N = 1224; mean age 76 years; 49% female), 69% reported engaging in CRB, 4% reported cost-related medication nonadherence, and 6% reported spending less on basic needs. Participants who were cognitively impaired (adjusted odds ratio 0.69 [95% CI 0.52-0.91]) and those who did not identify as non-Hispanic white (0.66 [0.46-0.95]) were less likely to engage in CRB. Participants who were married (1.88 [1.30-2.72]), had a household income of $20,000-$49,999 (1.52 [1.02-2.27]), had Medicare insurance (1.38 [1.04-1.83]), and had 4-6 comorbidities (1.43 [1.01-2.01]) had significantly higher odds of engaging in CRB.

CONCLUSION

Although CRBs were common among older adults with AF, few reported cost-related medication nonadherence and spending less on basic needs. Patients with cognitive impairment may benefit from pharmacist intervention to provide support in CRB and patient assistance programs.

Cost-Sharing Reform for Chronic Disease Treatments as a Strategy to Improve Health Care Equity and Value in the US

This Viewpoint discusses cost-sharing reform for chronic disease treatments as a strategy to improve patient outcomes, promote health equity, and minimize long-term health care expenditures in the US.

A Proposal to Increase Value and Equity in the Development and Distribution of New Pharmaceuticals

The process of developing and marketing new pharmaceuticals in the United States is driven by a need to maximize returns to shareholders. This results all too often in the production of new medications that are expensive and of marginal value to patients and society. In line with our heightened awareness of the importance of social justice and public health-and in light of our government's alliance with private companies in bringing us COVID-19 vaccines-we need to reconsider how new pharmaceuticals are developed and distributed. Accordingly, we propose the creation of a new agency of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would direct the whole process. This agency would fund the research and development of high-value medications, closely monitor the clinical studies of these new drugs, and manage their distribution at prices that are value-based, fair, and equitable.

Medicare Coverage and Out-of-Pocket Costs of Quadruple Drug Therapy for Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Beta-blockers, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), known as quadruple therapy, are recommended for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to determine Medicare coverage and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs of quadruple therapy and regimens excluding ARNI or SGLT2i.

METHODS

This study assessed cost sharing, prior authorization, and step therapy in all 4,068 Medicare prescription drug plans in 2020. OOP costs were determined during the standard coverage period and annually based on the Medicare Part D standard benefit, inclusive of deductible, standard coverage, coverage gap, and catastrophic coverage.

RESULTS

Tier ≥3 cost sharing was required by 99.1% of plans for ARNI and 98.5% for at least 1 SGLT2i. Only ARNI required prior authorization (24.3% of plans), and step therapy was required only for SGLT2is (5.4%) and eplerenone (0.8%). The median 30-day standard coverage OOP cost of quadruple therapy was $94 (IQR: $84-$100), including $47 (IQR: $40-$47) for ARNI and $45 (IQR: $40-$47) for SGLT2i. The median annual OOP cost of quadruple therapy was $2,217 (IQR: $1,956-$2,579) compared with $1,319 (IQR: $1,067-$1,675) when excluding SGLT2i and $1,322 (IQR: $1,025-$1,588) when including SGLT2i and substituting an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker for ARNI. The median 30-day OOP cost of generic regimens was $3 (IQR: $0-$9).

CONCLUSIONS

Medicare drug plans restrict coverage of quadruple therapy through cost sharing, with OOP costs that are substantially higher than generic regimens. Quadruple therapy may be unaffordable for many Medicare patients with HFrEF unless medication prices and cost sharing are reduced.

Polypharmacy in Older Heart Failure Patients: a Multidisciplinary Approach

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We provide a review of considerations when applying principles of optimal pharmacotherapy to older adults with heart failure (HF), an analysis on the pivotal clinical trials focusing on applicability to older adults, and multi-disciplinary strategies to optimize the health of HF patients with polypharmacy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Polypharmacy is very common among patients with HF, due to medications for both HF and non-HF comorbidities. Definitions of polypharmacy were not developed specifically for older adults with HF and may need to be modified in order to meaningfully describe medication burden and promote appropriate medical therapy. This is because clinical practice guidelines for multi-drug HF regimens have unique considerations, given that they improve outcomes and symptoms of HF. Adults older than 65 years are well represented in contemporary clinical trials for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). While these trials did not have significant heterogeneity in safety or efficacy across a broad age spectrum, some may have limited representation of adults ≥ 80 years old, the sickest older adults, or those with decreased functional status. There is also a lack of data on the safety and efficacy of deprescribing HF medications, and deprescription in otherwise stable patients may lead to clinical destabilization or disease progression. There is therefore innate tension between the well-studied benefits of optimized HF therapy for older adults that must be weighed against the risks of polypharmacy and many unknowns that still exist. Given the strong evidence that optimized HF therapies confer symptomatic and mortality benefits for older adults, it is clear that polypharmacy in this context can be appropriate. A shift in paradigm is therefore needed when evaluating polypharmacy in patients with HF. Instead of assuming all polypharmacy is "good" or "bad," we propose a concerted move, using a multidisciplinary approach, to focus on the "appropriateness" of specific medications, in order to optimize HF medical therapy. Clinicians of all specialties caring for complex older adults with HF must consider goals of care, functional status, and new evidence-based therapies, in order to optimize this polypharmacy for older adults.

Prescription drug expenditures: An employer perspective

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