Economic Implications of Urologist Prescription Practices Among Medicare Part D Beneficiaries

The study analyzed urologist prescription patterns for generic and brand name drugs used to treat benign prostate enlargement, erectile dysfunction, and overactive bladder among Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2014. It found that the use of higher cost and non-generic drugs resulted in excess Medicare Part D payments totaling $410,471,433. Specifically, excess payments were $158,935,926 for benign prostate enlargement drugs, $3,105,023 for erectile dysfunction drugs, and $248,430,484 for overactive bladder drugs. The study concluded that increasing the use of low-cost and generic drugs could significantly reduce Medicare Part D medication spending.