Overall healthcare spending among patients who get their health insurance from an employer grew at a tepid rate in 2014, but spending on prescription drugs jumped significantly, stemming almost exclusively from pricey hepatitis C drugs.
The latest report from the Health Care Cost Institute called out three hepatitis C drugs -- Johnson & Johnson's Olysio and Gilead Sciences' Harvoni and Sovaldi -- as the main source of higher spending on brand-name pharmaceuticals. The drugs hit the market in late 2013 and 2014 and have been pariahs in the national debate over rising drug prices.
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