An analysis of 1.6 million physicians nationwide showed if physicians committed to generic drugs over brand-name drugs, the U.S. could save a potential $44 billion in prescription drug costs over the next 10 years, according to a report from ProPublica.
Approximately 900 physicians were among the worst offenders, prescribing an extra $300 million worth of brand-name drugs in total and each writing more than 5,000 prescriptions in 2011. Approximately 50 percent of these physicians have received at least $1,000 from a drug company since 2009, according to the report.
The report notes much of this "wasteful" spending occurs under Medicare Part D, whose 11 million beneficiaries pay no more than $7 per prescription, regardless of whether or not the prescription is for a brand-name drug.
Part D prescription spending differs greatly according to zip code in the U.S., with the percentage of brand-name drugs as high as 50 percent in some areas. This number is generally lower around academic medical centers and often higher around private practices, according to the report.
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