Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll Finds Cost is Top Cause of Unfilled Prescriptions

A third of Americans check the cost of a prescription before filling: Prescription drug adherence lags among Americans with more formal education, higher income


In a recent press release from Truven Health, 97% of Americans who received a prescription for medication in the last 90 days filled it, the most-cited reason among respondents who did not fill their prescription was cost (67%), according to the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll. Additionally, 12% of all respondents said that cost drove them to purchase prescription medication outside the U.S.


Truven Health Analytics®, part of the IBM Watson Health business, and NPR conduct a nationwide bimonthly poll to gauge attitudes and opinions on a wide range of health issues.

Following are the poll’s key findings:

  • Cost Plays a Factor: A third (33%) of respondents who received a prescription for medication looked for the cost of the medication before filling the prescription, a rate that decreases with increasing age. The highest rate (64%) is for millennials.
  • Side Effects Conjure Concerns: The reason mentioned most often by respondents who stopped taking their prescribed medication was Side Effects (29%), followed by Didn’t Need (17%), Felt Better (16%), Not Working (15%), and Cost (10%).
  • Medication Adherence Lags among the Well-Compensated and Educated: A quarter (25%) of all respondents who filled their prescription missed a dose of the medication, a rate that increases among respondents with higher levels of education and income.

“While barriers to medication adherence appear to vary, some patients seem to be weighing the expense of prescription drugs as a factor in their decision to purchase and follow through with a full course of treatment, ” said Anil Jain, MD, Vice-President and Chief Health Informatics Officer, Value-Based Care, IBM Watson Health. “Further studies should be conducted to investigate barriers to adherence. Meanwhile, healthcare providers and policy makers should consider how drug costs may impact adherence rates as they develop population health strategies.”


According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, retail prescription drug spending increased nine percent to $324.6 billion from 2014 to 2015, the most recent data available.

Click here to continue>>

News from our partners. 

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars