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| Source: www.slideshare.net |
Administering pricey specialty drugs in doctors’ offices and patients’ homes instead of hospitals could reduce drug costs by $4 billion a year for insurance plans, according to a study from insurance giant UnitedHealth Group.
The study released Monday comes as specialty drugs for chronic conditions such as cancer have eaten up a large portion of drug spending costs. UnitedHealth said that changing the location of administering specialty drugs to outside the hospital could save $16,000 to $37,000 in savings per patient.
“Compared to independent physician offices, hospitals charge more for specialty drugs and their administration, whether treatment takes place in a hospital facility or in a hospital-owned physician practice,” the study said.
