Of course, we at CORE knew this, didn't we?
From John Curry, January 23, 2009
UNFILLED PRESCRIPTIONS
Millions can't afford their meds, study says
January 23, 2009
By Suzanne Hoholik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
By Suzanne Hoholik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
(Click image to enlarge)
When your doctor writes you a prescription, she expects you'll get it filled.
But 36 million Americans didn't fill a prescription they needed in 2007 because they couldn't afford it, according to a study published this week by the Center for Studying Health System Change.
That's an increase from the estimated 24.4 million people who didn't fill prescriptions in 2003 because they couldn't pay.
In Franklin County, about 112,000 people currently are not filling prescriptions or not taking medications because they can't afford them, said Jeff Biehl, executive director of Access HealthColumbus.
"We're heading into a period where this will continue to worsen, especially for those people with chronic diseases on multiple drugs," he said.
Researchers who performed the national study blame rising prescription-drug costs and health-insurance plans that require consumers to pay more for medications.
"This would indicate that health insurance offers less financial protection against out-of-pocket costs than it did in the past," said Laurie E. Felland, a senior health researcher at the center and co-author of the study.
The 2007 survey by the Washington-based nonprofit center covered 18,000 children and working adults.
Since 2007, the economy has worsened and more people have lost their jobs and health insurance. Felland said she expects an increase in the numbers.
Physicians say they are worried.
"You see it a little more frequently than you used to," said Dr. Diana Donati, a North Side primary-care physician.
When patients tell her they can't afford a medication, she tries to give them samples or find a generic.
"Most people can pay $4 and $10," Donati said.
People also can use discount-drug-card programs or ask drug companies about free medication programs.
"Too many people are delaying needed care and turn up for health care when they're much sicker and more expensive to treat," said Cathy Levine, executive director of the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio.
"We need to change from a sick-care system to a health-care system by making sure that people have preventive care."
U.S. prescription-drug spending had its lowest growth rate -- 1.6 percent -- in 30 years in 2007, according to a study last month by the journal Health Affairs.
The decline in price increases is attributed to more drug patents expiring, an increased use of generic drugs and a drop in the number of new medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
shoholik@dispatch.com
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Cheaper options
• Many retail stores offer $4 prescription drugs, mainly for generic medications.
• There are several discount-drug-card programs; some include:
For information about free drug programs from pharmaceutical companies, go to https:// www.pparx.org/Intro.php
THE HOT ISSUE
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posted by Kathie Bracy at 4:17 PM
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