The prescriptions with the most eye-popping price tags — like cancer meds that can cost more than $20,000 a month — are usually classified as “specialty” drugs.
You’d think that since they’re so costly, there would be clear criteria for putting drugs in the specialty category. But, according to a new report, you’d be wrong.
The issue might seem arcane, but it’s hugely important. Specialty drugs account for only about 2% of the volume of drugs dispensed in the United States, according to industry estimates, but they also account for more than 50% of overall drug spending.