A decade ago, most patients paid only copays for brand medicines. But in recent years, use of deductibles and coinsurance in commercial health plans has skyrocketed. According to a recent IQVIA analysis, commercially-insured patients now pay most of their out-of-pocket spending for brand medicines in the form of deductibles and coinsurance. For five of seven therapeutic areas examined by IQVIA, deductible and coinsurance spending accounted for more than two-thirds of patients’ total out-of-pocket spending. For two therapeutic areas, oncology and multiple sclerosis, deductibles and coinsurance accounted for more than 90%.
