Medication Discount Programs

Over the past 10 years, the prices for branded dermatology medications have increased by over 400%. Many insurance companies try to steer patients toward less expensive therapies. Often, more expensive medications are available to patients, but the patient’s direct cost for these is usually significantly greater than it may be for less expensive alternatives. Pharmaceutical companies have responded by issuing coupon and rebate programs for more costly branded medications. Although these programs may decrease direct patient expenses, they raise significant ethical concerns with respect to their impact on the health system as a whole as well as society. This chapter examines the ethical challenges faced by prescribers in balancing the competing interests of patients, third-party insurance payors and society as a whole.