A new study released by the IMS Institute shows office visits are on the decline in the United States. The report, titled "Declining Medicine Use and Costs: For Better or Worse?" found that spending on office visits was down 3.5 percent from 2012, totaling $325.8 billion. Key trends from the report include:
• Patient office visits fell 0.9 percent in 2012 while outpatient and non-emergency room admissions were also down slightly.
• Increased availability of generics, now accounting for 84 percent of all prescriptions, led to lower utilization of brand drugs.
• Patients with insurance paid higher deductibles and higher co-pays or co-insurance, and nearly 20 percent of the insured population are now in a consumer-driven health plan.
• Average out-of-pocket for patient under 65 reached $1,146 in 2012, a 30 percent increase from 2011.
• Twenty-eight new molecular entities were made available to patients in 2012, including seven with orphan drug designation form the FDA. There were nine new cancer treatments.
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• Patient office visits fell 0.9 percent in 2012 while outpatient and non-emergency room admissions were also down slightly.
• Increased availability of generics, now accounting for 84 percent of all prescriptions, led to lower utilization of brand drugs.
• Patients with insurance paid higher deductibles and higher co-pays or co-insurance, and nearly 20 percent of the insured population are now in a consumer-driven health plan.
• Average out-of-pocket for patient under 65 reached $1,146 in 2012, a 30 percent increase from 2011.
• Twenty-eight new molecular entities were made available to patients in 2012, including seven with orphan drug designation form the FDA. There were nine new cancer treatments.
More Articles on Physicians:
Alaska Native Medical Center Names Dr. Roland Torres Clinical Director
Drs. Martin Gryfinski, Raymond Hwang Develop Spine Program at Kishwaukee Community Hospital
OrthoCarolina Adds Orthopedic Urgent Care Services