Out-of-Pocket Payment Issues

Some stakeholders have expressed ambivalence, or even opposition, to quality measures encouraging the used of the fixed-dose combination of hydralazine hydrochloride and isosorbide dinitrate (BiDil) due to the concern that African Americans seeking treatment for heart failure cannot afford it. A recent study by the National Minority Quality Forum has found, however, that in 2013 the median out-of-pocket payment per tablet by African American Medicare beneficiaries for whom the therapy was indicated was only $0.06, and that 25% of beneficiaries had no out-of-pocket expenditure for the medication.

A comprehensive issue brief on these findings is available below.