For example, within traditional prescription drugs, Express Scripts clients saved $1.4 billion through the increased use of generics and lower-cost brands. More than of half that savings, $790 million, came from Express Scripts' behavior-centric programs in partnership with clients. Those savings were over and above some market factors that also helped hold down spending, such as the expiration of branded patents, which allows development of lower-cost generic drugs.

Through the lens of behavior, Express Scripts also has broken down the behavior-related waste by therapy class. For example, more than one-third of the annual spend (35.5 percent) on high cholesterol medication could be saved with better behavior.

Bob Nease, chief scientist at Express Scripts, said, "We have good cause for optimism that the behaviors causing this vast waste in healthcare can change. Express Scripts' advanced application of behavioral science to healthcare, which we call Consumerology, has proved very successful in achieving behavior changes through programs that are fully voluntary."

Other notable trends found in the Drug Trend Report include that diabetes is the top driver of total cost increases in the traditional drug sector because of growth in utilization and cost per prescription. Spending for drugs used to treat viral infections increased by approximately 25 percent primarily because of increased prevalence of use for agents used to treat influenza.

SOURCE Express Scripts