THEY WERE PASSIONATE FANS. PLAY IN THE PEACH BOWL.
>>> THE HIGH COST OF HEALTH
CARE, HUGE ISSUE FOR AMERICANS
HEADING INTO 2020 INCLUDING THE
COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
NBC NEWS INVESTIGATED WHY SOME
COMBINATION MEDICATIONS, THOSE
THAT COMBINE OLD DRUGS TO MAKE A
NEW ONE, COME WITH SUCH BIG
PRICE TAGS.
PRICE TAGS. >> PERFECT.
>> PERFECT. LOVE IT.
LOVE IT. LOVE THE ART.
SO LET’S FOCUS ON THE ART.
>> Reporter: SUZANNE IS A
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER IN OMAHA.
>> NICELY DONE.
LOVE IT.
LOVE IT. WHOO-HOO.
WHOO-HOO. >> Reporter: SHE WORKS A SECOND
JOB AS A TELLER BECAUSE IT COMES
WITH INSURANCE TO AFFORD HER
ACID REFLUX MEDICINE, A GENERIC
VERSION.
VERSION. THAT INSURANCE HAS SAVED HER A
WHOPPING $14,000 FOR A 90-DAY
SUPPLY ACCORDING TO HER PHARMACY
RECEIPT.
RECEIPT. >> IT WAS IMMEDIATE RELIEF.
>> Reporter: SHE’S TAKING WHAT’S
CALLED A COMBINATION DRUG.
ZEDRIC IS ONE PILL THAT COMBINES
TWO OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION
MEDICATIONS.
MEDICATIONS. ALSO KNOWN AS BAKING SODA.
>> I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN
YOU HAVE PRILOSEC AND BAKING
SODA AND PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER,
WHY DOES IT ALL OF A SUDDEN
BECOME $14,000?
BECOME $14,000? I DON’T GET IT.
THEY GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE
THEY CAN.
THEY CAN. THEY CAN SET DRUG PRICES BASED
ON WHAT MARKET WILL BEAR.
>> Reporter: THIS DOCTOR, AN
INTERNIST AND MEDICAL RESEARCHER
AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL, SAYS
COMBINING TWO MEDICATIONS INTO
ONE SHOULD NOT BE SO EXPENSIVE.
SHE STUDIED THE PRICE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BRAND-NAME COMBINATION
DRUGS AND THEIR GENERIC
COMPONENT.
COMPONENT. TAKE THIS, $86 PER PILL VERSUS
47 CENTS FOR THE TWO GENERIC
INGREDIENTS.
INGREDIENTS. AN ARTHRITIS PAIN RELIEVER, $30
PER PILL VERSUS 35 CENTS FOR THE
GENERIC.
GENERIC. ANOTHER PAIN RELIEVER, $20 PER
PILL VERSUS 28 CENTS.
>> THESE ARE SMALL POINTS ON
EXISTING MEDICATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES IN SOME
CASES, AND THE DOCTORS HAVE
KNOWN AND BEEN USING FOR THESE
PURPOSES FOR YEARS.
>> Reporter: HER STUDY FOUND
THAT BRAND-NAME COMBINATION
DRUGS COST MEDICARE CLOSE TO A
BILLION DOLLARS.
BILLION DOLLARS. IS THERE ANY KIND OF MAGIC TO
THESE NEW COMBINATION DRUGS?
>> MAGIC NO, NO.
THERE’S NO MAGIC.
IN A LOT OF WAYS WE’RE PAYING
FOR THE REPACKAGING HERE.
>> Reporter: WHAT’S MORE, LIST
PRICES FOR SOME OF THESE
COMBINATION DRUGS HAVE
SKYROCKETED.
SKYROCKETED. DUEXIS, $139 FOR A MONTH SUPPLY
8 YEARS AGO TOPS $2,400 TODAY.
MOST PATIENTS AND EVEN DOCTORS
HAVE NO IDEA.
HOW DO THESE COSTS REMAIN
HIDDEN?
HIDDEN? >> COSTS REMAIN HIDDEN BECAUSE
THE PHYSICIAN WHEN THEY’RE
PRESCRIBING MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY
HOW MUCH A DRUG COSTS.
WHEN THE PATIENT GOES AND PICKS
IT UP AT THE PHARMACY, THEY ONLY
KNOW WHAT THE CO-PAY IS.
>> Reporter: SUZANNE’S CO-PAY,
FOR EXAMPLE, IS JUST $24.
>> SO IF THE PATIENT DOESN’T
REALIZE IT AND THE DOCTOR
DOESN’T REALIZE IT YET BEHIND
THE SCENES ALL OF THESE PRICE
HIKES ARE UNFOLDING.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER EXAMPLE,
LINOVO’S LIST PRICE GONE UP TEN
TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
A JUMP OF 2,000%.
>> IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE
ALSO HAD ABOUT $434 IN REVENUES.
>> Reporter: CEO OF HORIZON
THERAPEUTICS WHO MAKES THEM
DECLINED OUR REQUEST FOR AN
INTERRUE.
INTERRUE. THE COMPANY TOLD US THE PATIENT
DOESN’T PAY THE FULL LIST PRICE.
OUT OF POCKET COSTS FOR 98% OF
INSURED PATIENTS IS $10 OR LESS
AND THE COMPANY NETS LESS THAN
$300 FOR EACH PRESCRIPTION.
BUT IT ADDS UP.
THE TWO DRUGS BROUGHT IN MORE
THAN $1.3 BILLION IN 8 YEARS.
OVER THAT TIME, THE TOTAL
COMPENSATION BY THE COMPANY
WHICH MAKES SEVERAL DRUGS, MORE
THAN $50 MILLION.
HORIZON ALSO SAYS PROVIDING PAIN
RELIEF AND THE STOMACH PROTECT
PROTECTANT IN A SINGLE PILL IS
BETTER FOR PATIENTS.
>> I COULD SEE THE CONVENIENCE
IN TAKING ONE PILL INSTEAD OF
TWO FOR SOME PEOPLE.
THE QUESTION HERE IS, AT WHAT
COST?
COST? IF PATIENTS ARE PAYING SO LITTLE
OUT OF POCKET, WHY SHOULD THEY
CARE?
CARE? >> BECAUSE THIS IS A COST THAT
WE ALL HAVE TO PAY.
THIS IS PART OF THE REASON FOR
THE RISING COST OF PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS.
DRUGS. AND THE RISING COST OF HEALTH
CARE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ALL
HAVE TO CARE ABOUT.
>> Reporter: THE MAKER OF
BRAND-NAME ZEGRA DECLINED TO
COMMENT.
COMMENT. THE MAKER OF THE GENERIC VERSION
SAID MANY FACTORS GO INTO THE
COST OF A PATIENT’S MEDICATION.
AND IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHETHER
YOU SHOULD TAKE TWO CHEAPER
GENERIC DRUGS INSTEAD OF ONE
EXPENSIVE COMBINATION DRUG,