Medicare Spends $2.5 billion on Prescription Nexium in 2013 Save

Medicare released its list of the most costly medicines presribed in 2013. Nexium (omeprazole) led the list and was prescribed to 1.5 million Medicare patients at a cost of $2.5 billion. Common rheumatologic drugs found in the top 20 were #15 pregabalin, #16 etanercept, #17 adalimumab, #18 celecoxib and #19 oxycodone - at a cost of nearly $1 billion for each. The drug use and physician prescribing data for Medicare patients was released to promote discussion on better cost containment in the future.