10/3/2006: Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Remains Stable at High Rate in 2005 (Center for Studying Health System Change)

Excerpt: Two factors stand out as having potential to lower spending trends. First, in the pharmaceutical sector, a number of important blockbuster drugs have either recently lost patent protection (Zocor) or are scheduled to lose patent protection in the near future (Zoloft). Second, the trend toward increased patient cost sharing has accelerated.