In recent years, increasingly specialized medications and an aging population that takes more drugs have substantially boosted the price of treatments for cancer, hepatitis C, cystic fibrosis and other diseases.
Though millions more people are insured because of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, rising drug prices have imposed tremendous financial hardship on some people who must take these medications.
The issue has been a focus of some political campaigns and regulators across the country. At least seven states now limit patients’ out-of-pocket costs for some drugs.