AHIP study: Hospitals charging double specialty pharmacy rates for same drugs

Hospitals on average are charging patients and payers twice the price specialty pharmacies charge for the same drugs, according to a Feb. 16 report from America's Health Insurance Plans. 

The report studied three years of data from 10 drugs that could be administered both in a hospital setting and through a specialty pharmacy via a provider. 

Five takeaways:

1. On average, a single treatment for hospital-administered drugs cost $7,000 more than those purchased from a specialty pharmacy. 

2. The average drug from a hospital cost twice as much on average than a drug purchased through a specialty pharmacy.  

3. Comparatively, drugs administered in a physician's office cost at least $1,400 on average.

4. However, prices of drugs administered by a physician still cost 22 percent more than those purchased through a specialty pharmacy.

5. Matt Eyles, CEO and president of AHIP, said that the study sends a clear message to payers: direct drug delivery through specialty pharmacies is a competitive way to keep prices down for patients and insurers.

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