The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #52458

David H. Kreling, PhD, Sonderegger Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, 425 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706, 608-262-3454, dhkreling@pharmacy.wisc.edu

A drug benefit requires balance between the budget for the benefit and the use and expenditures for consumers covered by the benefit. Although a benefit does not ensure access to drugs at affordable levels, design features such as formularies and cost sharing directly affect these parameters. Some issues related to benefit design are consistent in developed and developing countries, but not all. Drug development and introduction, and societal/cultural norms about medicine and medical use are exogenous realities for benefit design in all cases. In developed countries access may be more of a qualitative than quantitative concern, but both are relevant for developing countries. Pharmaceutical prices contribute to challenges of designing benefits and subsequent access and affordability for consumers.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand how drug benefit design affects the access to drugs in developed and developing countries.
• To learn how pharmaceutical prices contribute to challenges of designing benefits and subsequent access and affordability for consumers.

Keywords: Health Insurance, Prescription Drug Use Patterns

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.