Drug spending is climbing amid the pandemic, but not at hospitals

The country's total drug spending rose by nearly 5 percent in 2020, but drug spending at hospitals declined by the same percentage, according to a report published April 21 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Total U.S. drug spending was $535.3 billion in 2020. The drug spending categories that experienced the biggest increases were home healthcare (13 percent), mail-order prescriptions (9 percent) and clinics (8 percent).