Some pharmaceutical companies have sold Tricare, the military’s managed health-care provider, a bevy of expensive medications in recent years. Consequentially, the pricey compound drugs have caused a $2 billion gap in the defense health budget, special correspondent Tom Philpott reported in July 30 issues of Stars and Stripes. In 2010, the pharmaceuticals in question accounted for $23 million of Tricare’s $6.6 billion total outpatient pharmacy costs, Philpott reported. In 2014, the compound drugs accounted for $515 million, while total outpatient pharmacy costs rose to $7.7 billion. Costs are rising again this year, according to the report, which also stated that some manufacturers have been contacting retirees to solicit the compound medications. The agency has since taken steps to curb the abuses.