Objectives: To evaluate trends in price changes of highly utilized nasal sprays and over the counter allergy medications.
Methods: The 2014-2020 Medicaid National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) database was queried for drug pricing information for the following classes of medications: intranasal corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, antileukotrienes, intranasal antihistamines, and intranasal anticholinergics. Individual medications were identified by Food and Drug Administration assigned National Drug Codes (NDC). Per unit drug prices were analyzed for average annual prices, average annual percent price changes, and inflation adjusted annual and composite percent price changes.
Results: Beclometasone (Beconase AQ, 56.7%, QNASL, 77.5%), flunisolide (Nasalide, -14.6%), budesonide (Rhinocort Aqua, -1.2%), fluticasone (Flonase, -6.8%, Xhance, 11.7%), mometasone (Nasonex, 38.2%), ciclesonide (Omnaris 73.8%), combination azelastine and fluticasone (Dymista, 27.3%), loratadine (Claritin, -20.5%), montelukast (Singulair, 14.5%), zileutin (Zyflo (57.2%), azelastine (Astepro 21.9%), olopatadine (Patanase, 27.3%), and ipratropium bromide (Atrovent, 56.6%) had an overall change in inflation adjusted per unit cost between 2014 and 2020 (% change). 11/15 drugs evaluated had an increase in inflation adjusted prices, for an average increase of 42.06 ± 22.27 % (mean ± SD). 4/15 drugs had a decrease in inflation adjusted prices, for an average decrease of 10.78 ± 7.36 %.
Conclusions: The rising cost of highly utilized medications contribute to increased patient acquisition costs and may pose barriers of drug adherence to particularly vulnerable populations.