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How Much Has Medicare Spent on the EpiPen Since 2007?
(By Juiette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman, and Anthony Damico for Kaiser Family Foundation)
The latest example of high and rising prescription drug prices to attract significant media and public attention relates to the EpiPen, an auto-injector containing the drug epinephrine which is used to reverse the effects of severe allergic reactions. Since Mylan acquired the EpiPen from Merck in 2007, the company has increased the list price for a pack of two EpiPens nearly 550%, from $94 in January 2007 to $609 in May 2016.1 While the EpiPen can be a lifesaver for children with serious food allergies, it is also used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions experienced by the older adults and people with disabilities who are covered by Medicare. The EpiPen is covered under Medicare Part D, which provides outpatient prescription drug coverage to beneficiaries who enroll in private drug plans. Continue reading here…