Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) Increase Report Data – Current Year
In 2024, Q1 was the only quarter in which there were WAC price categories that show a reported median cumulative WAC percent increase lower than the yearly median of 19.4%.
HCAI collects and publishes information on prescription drugs when a Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) increase exceeds two thresholds – the WAC (after the increase) is greater than $40 for a course of therapy, and the WAC increase results in a greater than 16% cumulative increase inclusive of all WAC increases in the current calendar year and the two previous calendar years.
The visualizations below include submitted WAC increase data from Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. These graphs display data that shows Median Cumulative WAC Percent Increase by WAC Price Category, Drug Source Type, or Both. The visualizations allow you to filter through the data by quarter.
- Learn more about the Prescription Drug Cost Transparency Program
- View other Prescription Drug Cost Transparency Public Reports
Median Percent Increase – WAC Price Category
Key Findings
- In calendar year 2024, the highest median cumulative WAC percent increase (33.3%) was seen in Q4 on drugs with a WAC less than $250.
- In 2024, the highest overall median cumulative WAC percent increase (22.5%) was seen on drugs with a WAC less than $250.
- In 2024, only prescription drugs with a WAC from $250 to $10,000 had a median cumulative WAC percent increase below the yearly median (19.4%).
- Q1 2024 was the only quarter in which there were WAC price categories that show a reported median cumulative WAC percent increase lower than the yearly median of 19.4%.
Median Percent Increase – Drug Source Type
Key Findings
- In calendar year 2024, Non-innovator Multiple Source Drugs saw the highest median cumulative WAC percent increase (31.8%) across all drug types.
- In 2024, Non-innovator Multiple Source Drugs were the only drug type to see a median cumulative WAC percent increase that was higher than the overall yearly median of 19.4%.
- In Q4 2024, Non-innovator Multiple Source Drugs saw a median cumulative WAC percent increase of 41.2%.
Median Percent Increase – WAC Price Category & Drug Source Type
Key Findings
- In Q2 2024, Non-innovator Multiple Source Drugs with a WAC between $1,000 and $10,000 saw a median cumulative WAC percent increase of 78.2%.
- In Q2 2024, Innovator Multiple Source Drugs with a WAC less than $250 saw a median cumulative WAC percent increase of 67.4%.
- In Q3 2024, Innovator Multiple Source Drugs with a WAC between $1,000 and $10,000 saw a median cumulative WAC percent increase of 50.1%.
- In Q4 2024, Innovator Multiple Source Drugs with a WAC between $1,000 and $10,000 saw a median cumulative WAC percent increase of 155.3% (and this finding is based on a single report).
How HCAI Created This Product
Prescription Drug WAC Increase data for 2024 from the Cost Transparency: Prescription Drug Program (CTRx).
Note: Reported increases that do not meet the statutory requirements for reporting and prescription drugs that do not meet the definition for reporting under the program regulations and Section 321(g) of Title 21 of the United States Code were not included in the visualizations. Submitted reports not meeting statutory requirements were 99 of 1,631 (6.1%) in 2024. In addition, approximately 39.4% of reports in 2024 did not include any reason(s) for the reported WAC increases due to the information not already being in the public domain.
Resources
Note:
- The 3-year median percent increase is based on submitted WAC increase data. The dataset is subject to reporting.
- The dataset includes only complete reports submitted by manufacturers for WAC increases made in 2024 and does not include reports that do not meet the specified minimum thresholds for reporting.
- Late WAC reports submitted after April 9th, 2025, are not included in the dataset.
Additional Information
Topic: Cost Transparency
Source Link: Cost Transparency – Prescription Drug (Rx) Costs
Citation: HCAI – Prescription Drug Cost Transparency, 2024
Temporal Coverage: 2024
Spatial/Geographic Coverage: Statewide
Frequency: Annually