AP Photo/Elise Amendola
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation released a list of the top 25 most-expensive prescription drugs in Oregon this week. These are the drugs that “contribute the most to annual spending by health insurance companies.”
According to insurance commissioner Andrew Stolfi, this and other lists released by the division "highlight the goal of the drug price transparency program."
“They provide a first step to transparency for Oregonians,” he added, “and help all of us better understand which prescription drugs affect health care costs.”
To determine what drugs are most costly, the division considered the drug’s retail cost as well as rebates and “other price concessions.”
“The most costly drugs are the prescriptions that are the most expensive for insurance companies based on annual health plan spending,” Brad Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, said over email. “This includes the net effect of any rebates and other price concessions.”
While drug prices aren’t listed by the state, the website
provides information on prices at different pharmacies. For drugs that are administered by a doctor and therefore not available at a pharmacy, we found price information on the website
.
You may note that some of the prices don’t fall in line with the state’s list. That’s because the state’s list is based on cost to insurance plans.
Also, drugs are sold in different dosages that last patients different lengths of time. So one price may be for a full year of the drug while another could be for just one month.
Here are the top 25 most-expensive prescription drugs in Oregon and how much they cost.
25. Novolog
Novolog is commonly prescribed for diabetes and manufactured by Novo Nordisk.
the lowest price for one carton of five flexpens)of Novolog at Costco at $561.65 with a coupon.
24. Humalog
Humalog is commonly prescribed for diabetes and manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company.
the lowest price for five kwikpens (3 ml) of Humalog at Walgreens at $126.45 with a coupon.
23. Opdivo
Opdivo is commonly prescribed for melanoma and manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb.
the lowest price for two vials (4 ml) of Opdivo at Costco at $2,147.86 with a coupon.
22. Epclusa
Epclusa is commonly prescribed for Hepatitis C and manufactured by Gilead.
the lowest price for one dose pack of 28 tablets of Epclusa at Walgreens at $3,639.60 with a coupon.
21. Triumeq
Triumeq is commonly prescribed for HIV and manufactured by ViiV Healthcare/GSK/Pfizer/Shionogi.
the lowest price for 30 tablets of Triumeq at Costco at $2,868.86 with a coupon.
20. Ocrevus
Ocrevus is commonly prescribed for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and manufactured by Genentech/Roche Holding AG.
GoodRX does not list a price for Ocrevus but
the price as $16,973.50 for 10 ml of intravenous solution.
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19. Odefsey
Odefsey is commonly prescribed for HIV and manufactured by Gilead.
the lowest price for 30 tablets of Odefsey at Costco at $2,792.40 with a coupon.
18. Basaglar
Basaglar is commonly prescribed for melanoma and other cancers and manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company.
the lowest price for one carton of five 3 ml kwikpens of Basaglar at Walmart at $250.91 with a discount.
17. Perjeta
Perjeta is commonly prescribed for breast cancer and manufactured by Genentech/Roche Holding AG.
GoodRX does not list a price for Perjeta but
lists the price as $5,372.43 for 14 ml of intravenous solution.
16. Keytruda
Keytruda is commonly prescribed for melanoma and other cancers and manufactured by Merck.
the lowest price for three vials of Keytruda at Costco at $6,513.79 with a coupon.
15. Soliris
Soliris is commonly prescribed for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (anemia) and manufactured by Alexion.
GoodRX does not list a price for Soliris but
the price as $6,818.51 for 30 ml of intravenous solution.
14. Copaxone
Copaxone is commonly prescribed for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and manufactured by Teva.
the lowest price for one carton of 30 syringes of Copaxone at Walmart at $1,953.29 with a coupon.
13. Revlimid
Revlimid is commonly prescribed for bone marrow cancer and manufactured by Celgene.
GoodRX does not list a price for Revlimid but
the price as $21,050.26 for 28 2.5 mg oral capsules.
12. Neulasta
Neulasta is commonly prescribed anti-infective for chemotherapy and manufactured by Amgen.
the lowest price for one syringe 6mg of Neulasta at Costco at $6,177.14 with a coupon.
11. Tysabri
Tysabri is commonly prescribed for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and manufactured by Biogen.
GoodRX does not list a price for Tysabri but
the price as $6,919.95 for 300 mg of intravenous concentrate.
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10. Genvoya
Genvoya is commonly prescribed for HIV and manufactured by Gilead.
the lowest price for 30 tablets of Genvoya at Costco at $3,067.50 with a coupon.
9. Cosentyx
Cosentyx is commonly prescribed for plaque psoriasis and manufactured by Novartis.
the lowest price for one carton of two sensoready pens of Cosentyx (150 mg) at Costco at $5,135.51 with a coupon.
8. Rituxan
Rituxan is commonly prescribed for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and manufactured by Genentech/Roche Holding AG & Biogen.
GoodRX does not list a price for Rituxan but
the price as $989.36 for 10 mg of intravenous solution.
7. Herceptin
Herceptin is commonly prescribed for breast cancer and manufactured by Genentech/Roche Holding AG.
GoodRX does not list a price for Herceptin but
the price as $1,635.49 for one powder injection of 150 mg.
6. Remicade
Remicade is commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease and plaque psoriasis and manufactured by Janssen Biotech/J&J.
the lowest price for five vials of Remicade (100 mg) at Costco at $5,789.09 with a coupon.
5. Stelara
Stelara is commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease and plaque psoriasis and manufactured by Janssen Biotech/J&J.
the lowest price for one syringe of Stelara (90 mg) at Costco at $21,792.94 with a coupon.
4. Truvada
Truvada is commonly prescribed for HIV and manufactured by Gilead.
the lowest price for 30 tablets of Truvada at Costco at $1,748.72 with a coupon.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File
3. Tecfidera
Tecfidera is commonly prescribed for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and manufactured by Biogen.
GoodRX does not list a price for Tecfidera but
the price as $1,910.46 for 120 mg or 14 delayed-release capsules.
2. Enbrel
Enbrel is commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease and plaque psoriasis and manufactured by Amgen.
the lowest price for one carton containing four sureclicks of Enbrel (50 mg) at Costco at $5,130.76 with a coupon.
1. Humira
Humira is commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease and plaque psoriasis and manufactured by Abbvie.
the lowest price for one carton containing two pens of Humira (40 mg) at Costco at $5,130.76 with a coupon.
-- Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052
lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
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