Private MD News

Generic cholesterol-lowering medications may soon be available

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

The majority of individuals who receive unhealthy cholesterol test results end up requiring statin medications to preserve their heart health. However, over a lifetime, the cost of taking these medications on a regular basis can add up to a high tab.

But individuals may soon have less expensive options for tackling their cholesterol problems. The Messenger Post reports that over the next two years, 42 different prescription drugs will become available in generic form, including the popular statin brand Lipitor.

"Consumers will see major savings from the generics in the form of lower co-pays, and those paying the larger tab of health insurance coverage will see lower prescription cost assumptions built into future premium rates," Joel Owerbach, the vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Excellus BlueCrossBlueShield, told the news source.

He added that the cost of generic medications could end up being anywhere from 50 to 90 percent lower than their brand name counterparts.

This could be good news for the 16 percent of the U.S. population that has received unhealthy cholesterol test results, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.