In 2020, Medicare spent the most on Eliquis, with more than 2.6 million Medicare Part D enrollees taking the blood thinner at a cost of nearly $10 billion, according to data released March 8 by AARP.
The average list price for the 75 brand-name drugs Medicare spends the most on increased 5.2 percent in January 2022, according to AARP.
"Brand-name drug prices have grown faster than general inflation for over a decade, causing an increasing number of patients to go without necessary medications," AARP researchers said. "Medicare beneficiaries, who have a median annual income of just under $30,000, take an average of four to five prescription drugs every month, and public opinion surveys consistently have found that many skip doses or don't refill their prescriptions because of the cost."
AARP's current Fair Rx Prices Now campaign urges lawmakers to allow Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers, impose tax penalties on drugmakers that raise prices more than inflation and cap Part D out-of-pocket costs.
Here are the 10 drugs Medicare spent the most money on in 2020 and whose prices increased in January 2022:
1. Eliquis
Use: Blood thinner for people with atrial fibrillation
2020 Medicare spending: $9.9 billion
Number of beneficiaries: 2,641,941
2022 price increase: 6 percent
2. Revlimid
Use: Cancer treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $5.4 billion
Beneficiaries: 43,747
2022 price increase: 4.5 percent
3. Xarelto
Use: Blood thinner for people with atrial fibrillation
2020 Medicare spending: $4.7 billion
Beneficiaries: 1,184,718
2022 price increase: 4.9 percent
4. Januvia
Use: Diabetes treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $3.9 billion
Beneficiaries: 934,686
2022 price increase: 5 percent
5. Trulicity
Use: Diabetes treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $3.3 billion
Beneficiaries: 497,327
2022 price increase: 5 percent
6. Imbruvica
Use: Cancer treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $3 billion
Beneficiaries: 26,847
2022 price increase: 7.4 percent
7. Jardiance
Use: Diabetes treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $2.4 billion
Beneficiaries: 594,859
2022 price increase: 4 percent
8. Humira (Cf) pen
Use: Rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $2.2 billion
Beneficiaries: 42,406
2022 price increase: 7.4 percent
9. Ibrance
Use: Cancer treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $2.1 billion
Beneficiaries: 21,394
2022 price increase: 6.9 percent
10. Symbicort
Use: Asthma treatment
2020 Medicare spending: $2 billion
Beneficiaries: 1,017,530
2022 price increase: 2 percent