Prescription Cancer Drugs to Be Dearer in 2009 For Medicare Patients

Out of pocket expenses will increase for Medicare Part D cancer afflicted beneficiaries. There will also be increased restrictions on such patients. This comes out of research by Avalere Health and ACS CAN.

Brand name oral cancer drugs have been shifted to higher formulary tiers over the last four years. This means that every year the products have cost consumers more.

In 2009 most prescription drug plans will place products like Tykerb, Thalomid, Tarceva, Sutent and Gleevac on special cost sharing tiers.

Many seniors are facing problems with the cost of the medication and this is why this practice of putting cancer drugs on higher tiers needs to be scrutinized.