Everywhere you go it seems like things cost more >More these days, from groceries to gas. But when it comes to prescription drugs, prices have been rising at an alarming rate. Consumers are often unaware of how much their prescriptions actually cost. Under most health plans, you’re required to pay a set copay amount for your prescription, not the full cost. If the drug company raises the price of the drug, the increase is largely absorbed by your employer or insurance company. Eventually, it’s passed along to you in the form of higher premium costs.

Here are four reasons why prescription drugs cost so much:

Research and development

There is a long process of research, development, and clinical trials that must take place before a drug can be approved by the Federal Drug Administration and make it to your local pharmacy.

Patents

With every new drug a company is researching, they must first apply for a patent with the federal government. Manufacturers only have a certain number of years to have an exclusive patent for a drug. Until the patent expires, only one company is able to manufacturer that particular medication. Once the patent expires, other companies are able to market the drug as a generic. Generic drugs are priced lower because of lower development costs, a limited need for marketing and increased competition.

Marketing

Drug companies spend a large amount of money advertising directly to you – you can’t watch a TV show without seeing an ad – and to doctors. Last year, the Washington Post reported that drug companies spent $4.5 billion on advertising to consumers alone. Advertising can lead to consumers using more expensive drugs and higher overall costs to our health care system.

Open pricing

The United States allows drug companies to set their own prices for drugs with little regulation. Because of this, U.S. prescription drug costs are some of the highest in the world.

What can you do about increasing drug prices? Educate yourself on how the health care system works. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska’s pharmacy benefits partner, Prime Therapeutics, has a website loaded with interactive tools to help manage your family’s prescription drugs; check out myprime.com to find prices for your medicine and learn about ways to keep costs down by selecting generics.

The more you know, the better you’ll be at spending your health care dollars as effectively as possible.