Utah's Medicaid Rx drug list cuts spending

The US state of Utah, which introduced a preferred prescription drug list in 2007, has reported reduced spending for its medicine-related Medicaid services in the program's first year of $546,000. However, the Utah Department of Health admitted that the amount was less than one sixth of the $2.8-million forecast saving to taxpayers.

The Department's Director, David Sundwall, blamed state legislators for the cost overrun, explaining that amendments to the scheme had allowed physicians to override the preferred drugs more easily than anticipated in the original proposal. The Salt Lake City Tribune also reported that some drugs were only added to the Medicaid list during the course of the year. Mr Sundwall said that lower administrative costs should bring $1.2 million in lower bills next fiscal year.