Colorado Caps Prescription Drug Costs - First in Nation

Colorado has become the first state in the nation to cap what insurers and patients can pay for a prescription drug.

On Friday, the state’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board voted to set a maximum price of six hundred dollars per dose for the arthritis medication Enbrel — about thirty-one thousand dollars a year for adults.

Insurance companies in Colorado now pay roughly fifty-three thousand dollars a year per patient for Enbrel, with patients paying an average of forty-six hundred dollars out of pocket. The board cited a fifteen-hundred percent price increase since the drug debuted in 1998.

Manufacturer Amgen calls the move “unlawful” and warns it could limit access. The company has already sued once and could sue again now that a price ceiling is set.

Supporters say the cap will help families struggling with the cost of lifesaving medication, though the actual savings for patients will depend on their insurance plans.