Apremilast
Brand name: Otezla
Rank #65 of 500 drugs by total cost
Data: CMS Medicare Part D, 2023 (most current available) · Updated March 2026
$283.9M
Total Cost
59,020
Total Claims
$283.9M
Total Cost
2,774
Prescribers
$4,811
Cost per Claim
496
Beneficiaries
61,937
30-Day Fills
$102K
Avg Cost/Provider
21
Avg Claims/Provider
Share of Medicare Part D Spending
0.10%
of total Medicare Part D spending
$283.9M of $275.65B
Top Prescribers by Cost
Top 10 prescribers of $283.9M total
🔎 Data Overview
At $4,811 per prescription, this is a high-cost medication. Expensive drugs drive Medicare spending growth and create access challenges for patients with coverage gaps.
Average cost of $102,349 per prescriber suggests this drug may be concentrated among specialists. High per-provider spending can sometimes indicate inappropriate prescribing or overly aggressive use.
Average cost of $572,414 per patient per year. Medications at this price point significantly impact patient out-of-pocket costs and Medicare spending.
Insights generated from CMS data analysis. Statistical patterns are not accusations — always consider clinical context.
Top Prescribers of Apremilast
| # | Provider | Specialty | Location | Claims | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cynthia Villanueva Ramos | Family Practice | San Antonio, TX | 186 | $892K |
| 2 | Laura Howe | Rheumatology | Greeley, CO | 160 | $772K |
| 3 | Anna Imperato | Rheumatology | Manhasset, NY | 100 | $721K |
| 4 | Kristal Guidroz | Dermatology | Houma, LA | 137 | $670K |
| 5 | Kim Hinojosa | Nurse Practitioner | San Antonio, TX | 109 | $551K |
| 6 | Craig Wiggins | Nurse Practitioner | Phoenix, AZ | 109 | $546K |
| 7 | Lan Truong | Physician Assistant | Sacramento, CA | 116 | $489K |
| 8 | Kevin Gaffney | Dermatology | Flint, MI | 111 | $478K |
| 9 | Bharath Manu Akkara Veetil | Internal Medicine | Saint Cloud, MN | 68 | $469K |
| 10 | Paulette Moulton | Dermatology | Monroe, MI | 88 | $459K |
| 11 | Eric Fromer | Dermatology | Vacaville, CA | 104 | $458K |
| 12 | Nicole Pursifull | Nurse Practitioner | Middlesboro, KY | 94 | $457K |
| 13 | Crista Prates | Nurse Practitioner | Norwich, CT | 87 | $449K |
| 14 | Tien Nguyen | Dermatology | Fountain Valley, CA | 91 | $431K |
| 15 | Susan Zito | Rheumatology | Largo, FL | 86 | $429K |
Top prescribers ranked by total cost for this drug in 2023.
Related Drugs by Cost
| # | Drug | Total Cost | Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | Cabozantinib S-Malate (Cabometyx) | $287.3M | 11,285 |
| 63 | Rsv Vacc, Pref A And Pref B/Pf (Abrysvo) | $284.5M | 872,396 |
| 64 | Bimatoprost (Lumigan) | $284.4M | 610,243 |
| 65 | Apremilast (Otezla) | $283.9M | 59,020 |
| 66 | Budesonide/Glycopyr/Formoterol (Breztri Aerosphere) | $280.9M | 340,138 |
| 67 | Selexipag (Uptravi) | $279.1M | 12,320 |
| 68 | Liraglutide (Victoza 3-Pak) | $273.0M | 189,358 |
Related Analysis
Data from CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber-Drug Public Use File, 2023. Methodology