Many Don't Fill Prescriptions

[Guest guest]

Many Don't Fill

Prescriptions

(The Associated Press) - Rising co-payments for

prescription drugs are preventing some Americans from following their

doctors' orders. A recent survey of 1,010 adults by Interactive found

22 percent didn't fill at least one prescription in the last year because of

the cost.

Although that's a minority of those polled, many people

still are not getting the prescriptions they need, posing a serious health

problem, said the Rochester, N.Y. based market research and consulting firm.

Fourteen percent said that during the last year, they

had taken a drug in smaller doses than prescribed to cut costs and 16 percent

said they taken a medicine less frequently to save money.

The survey also found that people living in

low-income households were more likely to alter their doses than others.

However, 12 percent of those with income of $75,000 or more said they did not

fill a prescription in the last year because of the cost.

By Winshall,

M.D.

Harvard Medical School

How does this article relate to me?

Medications don't work if you don't take them. Some people

don't take their prescription medications regularly because they forget them,

or are bothered by side effects. However, this survey reminds us of

another very important reason: many people can't (or don't want to) pay for

them.

Prescription drug costs have been rising steadily for

years, and are projected to become the leading health-care expense within the

next decade. Those without health insurance have suffered the most from this

trend, since they must pay the full cost of prescriptions. However, in an

attempt to keep down medication costs, health plans are increasingly

" passing the buck " on to consumers. Often this means a higher

co-pay for each prescription, especially for high-cost or name brand

medications. Some people on multiple medications find themselves paying

hundreds of dollars per month in prescription co-pays, even though they have

" full " health-insurance coverage.

Given the price tag for certain medications, it's not

surprising that one in five Americans chose not to fill a prescription for

financial reasons. Some of these prescriptions may not have been critical

— for example, an acne cream, or an unnecessary pain reliever. However,

many of these prescriptions were probably for medications used to treat

important conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease.

Those who don't take their medications, or take less than the prescribed

amount, may be saving money in the short run at the expense of more long-term

medical problems.

What changes do I need to make?

What you pay at the pharmacy for a prescription

medication is determined by several factors:

What

the medication costs

Whether

it is name brand or generic

Whether

you have prescription medication coverage as part of your health

insurance

Whether

the medication is on your insurance plan's formulary — the list of

medications that your health insurance will pay for

How

your insurance plan structures it's co-pays — the " out of

pocket " expense that may be different for different types of

medications

Which

particular pharmacy you use

Each of these factors may also be an opportunity to

reduce your prescription-medication costs. For example, a generic

prescription may be much less expensive but just as effective as a name brand

alternative. Similarly, some name brand medications may be covered by your

health plan's formulary, while a very similar name-brand medication may not.

Some health plans also offer a low-cost, mail order pharmacy option for those

with long-term prescriptions.

If you find yourself facing a rising pharmacy bill, talk

to your doctor or health plan about ways to save money. This is especially

important if you find yourself even slightly tempted not to fill or to cut

back on one of your prescription medications.

What can I expect in the future?

Pharmaceutical costs will almost certainly continue to

rise. With the recent economic downturn, health insurers will be looking for

even more ways to keep their expenses down. Expect your out-of-pocket

expenses for health care to continue going up.

On the other hand, legislators and health-care leaders

recognize that drug costs are a major barrier to good medical care. Some

states have enacted programs to defray prescription medication costs for the

poor and elderly, and the federal government has been considering a similar

program for all seniors with Medicare. However, the shrinking economy and tax

cuts may make it impossible to fund such programs in the future.

Hugs,

Deanna

[Guest guest]

See Deanna, I'm not the only one!