Medicaid Highlights: Trends in Medicaid Prescribed Drug Expenditures and Utilization

The findings show that with the development of a multitude of safe and effective drugs during the later part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, drugs are, as never before, a true mainstay of medical treatment. CMS continues to monitor drug utilization and expenditures in all of its programs in order to ensure that care is rendered in a cost-effective manner that is beneficial to the patient. This highlight summarizes trends in drug expenditures and utilization in the Medicaid Program.