Medicare Patients Face High Out-of-Pocket Costs for Specialty Inflammatory Bowel Disease Medications

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: 

Medicare patients in the United States may face high out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for specialty inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) medications.

METHODS: 

We conducted a study of Medicare OOP costs for specialty IBD medications between 2020 and 2022 and compared them to incomes of typical Medicare beneficiaries.

RESULTS: 

In 2022, median OOP costs ranged from 6.4% to 59.2% of annual income for a Medicare patient with approximately median income. Inflation-adjusted OOP costs for most medications increased between 2020 and 2022 though decreased for infliximab and its biosimilars.

DISCUSSION: 

OOP costs may limit many Medicare beneficiaries' access to specialty IBD medications.