How Medicare Spends Its Drug Dollars
| Drug Class | 2008 Drug Cost |
| ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMICS | $6,165,831,884 |
| ANTIPSYCHOTICS/ANTIMANIC | $5,698,011,103 |
| ANTIDIABETICS | $4,688,777,238 |
| ULCER | $4,411,792,980 |
| ANTIHYPERTENSIVES | $4,177,531,157 |
| ANTIASTHMATIC AND BRONCHODILATOR | $3,598,966,726 |
| ANTICONVULSANTS | $3,288,116,849 |
| PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC AND NEUROLOGICAL | $3,112,790,209 |
| ANTIDEPRESSANTS | $2,835,474,451 |
| ANALGESICS – OPIOID | $2,578,161,329 |
Source: CMS HT to Jason Shafrin.
Fascinating. And, the obvious point again — Most of these could be reduced by diet and exercise.
It is rather sad that half of the top 10 drugs Medicare pays for are for mental or psychiatric conditions and pain.
Where are the cancer drugs?
Shouldn’t pharmaceutical companies provide drugs for free? That’s what I learned from Michael Moore. He would be appalled that we give so much money to Rx companies.