18 September 2017 - U.S. employers are bracing for higher health care expenses in 2018 as spending on new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis C is expected to rise more than 7%, according to consultancy firm Mercer.

Between 40 and 50 new specialty drugs are set to hit the market each year in the next five years, which could increase costs by $25 billion annually, Mercer said.

The survey’s preliminary findings suggest that spending on specialty drugs had risen by about 15 percent compared with prices that were factored into 2017 health plans. These types of drugs continue to push up overall costs of prescription drugs.

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