April 21 (Bloomberg) -- UnitedHealth Group Inc. is doubling the amount it will charge most of its customers for Merck & Co.’s Vytorin and Zetia cholesterol pills, a move the insurer hopes will deter patients from using the medicines. UnitedHealth, the biggest U.S. medical insurer by sales, on July 1 will start charging patients $50 to $60 for a prescription of Vytorin and Zetia, up from the current co- payment of about $25 to $30, said Tim Heady, head of UnitedHealth’s pharmaceutical solutions division. The change is another blow for Vytorin and Zetia, which combines Vytorin and the generic drug simvastatin. Sales of Vytorin and Zetia fell 14 percent worldwide to $4.3 billion in 2009 from $5 billion in 2007, when a study showed Zetia worked no better than simvastatin alone. UnitedHealth is increasing co- pays for Vytorin to encourage patients to switch to simvastatin, whose price has declined significantly, Heady said.
via bloomberg.com
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