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Prescription Drug Costs Still Rising in New Hampshire

Jamie/Flickr

Prescription drugs costs are climbing faster than most other categories of health spending in New Hampshire, according to a new report by the state insurance department.

The report found pharmacies collected one in five dollars spent on healthcare in the state in 2015 - that's up over prior years. The most expensive drugs for sale in New Hampshire cost on average $17,000 per prescription. Those really pricey drugs are designed to treat cancer, Hepatitis C and cystic fibrosis. 

Despite their soaring costs, those drugs comprise less than one percent of all prescriptions for people with employer-based insurance and other group plans.

The report also found that the number of uninsured New Hampshire residents fell by almost one third last year.

Before joining NHPR in August 2014, Jack was a freelance writer and radio reporter. His work aired on NPR, BBC, Marketplace and 99% Invisible, and he wrote for the Christian Science Monitor and Northern Woodlands.
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