Health insurance price increase

Currently, physicians and patients determine the demand for pharmaceuticals and employers and insurers assume the risk and cost. As the price of new health care technologies escalates, payers will design and implement strategies to share risk and cost. Defined employer contributions, increased patient cost sharing, and benefit exclusions will be used to help control utilization and cost. In this environment, value-based assessments will be crucial to the adoption of any technological innovation. It is reasonable to expect public and private coverage for new therapies if evidence is provided regarding the costs and consequences of treatment. However, social and ethical dilemmas will certainly arise as therapies whose costs exceed their benefits are debated in the public arena. 

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