title: Medicaid spending and utilization for central nervous system drugs.
abstract: Prior research has shown that prescription drug spending grew substantially during the decade of the 1990s. This analysis uses 1996 to 1998 State Medicaid Research File (SMRF) fee-for-service (FFS) data for 29 participating States to provide insight into the factors driving this growth. The analysis examines cost variation by census region, State, Medicaid basis of eligibility, and therapeutic use of drugs. In 1998, the highest expenditures were for central nervous system (CNS) drugs and for anti-psychotics compared to three other groups of CNS drugs (anti-anxiety agents, anti-depressants, and hypnotics). By eligibility group, expenditures were typically highest for disabled enrollees. There were major variations among SMRF States and their respective regions.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, USA. dbaugh@cms.hhs.gov
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Baugh
authors.forename: Penelope L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciborowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D018588:Fee-for-Service Plans / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents