Express Scripts reduces employers' annual prescription drug spending growth rate to historic low in 2017

Express Scripts helped employers reduce the rate of growth in per-person prescription drug spending to 1.5% in 2017, according to the 2017 Express Scripts Drug Trend Report. The report also found that nearly one-half of all Express Scripts' commercial clients saw their drug spending decrease in 2017. The growth rate is the lowest Express Scripts has measured since 1993, but there is more to be done to make prescription medications more affordable for working families, older adults, and the disabled. "While others offer vague promises of future savings, programs such as our SafeguardRx solutions delivered greater value for the money our clients and members spent on medications for costly conditions, such as diabetes and cancer," said Express Scripts President and CEO Tim Wentworth. "However, rising health care costs still burden too many consumers and businesses. Express Scripts pledges to continue working with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to advance a prescription drug affordability agenda that enhances our ability to reduce costs while improving access and quality." Express Scripts says common-sense policy changes include tackling the nation's opioid addiction crisis; creating new safe harbors to encourage value-based reimbursement; and greater regulatory scrutiny of pay-for-delay settlements between biologic and biosimilar manufacturers.