AARP's Public Policy Institute finds that average manufacturer price increases for brand name and specialty prescription drugs widely used by Medicare beneficiaries continued to far outstrip the price increases for other consumer goods and services in the 12 months ending with the third quarter of 2009. In contrast, average manufacturer prices for widely used generic drugs fell during the same time period. These trends resulted in an average annual rate of increase of 5.4 percent for manufacturer drug prices during the 12 months ending with the third quarter of 2009 despite a negative rate of general inflation for all consumer goods and services. This report presents findings from the third quarter of 2009 on the pattern of manufacturer price changes for brand name, specialty, and generic drugs widely used by Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
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