New research shows one in four Americans cannot afford their medications.
It’s becoming difficult for many patients to get the essential care they need to stay healthy due to the high costs of medications.
A poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation claims around 30% of adults report not taking their prescription meds because they’re too pricey.
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One in five adults say they’d rather use over-the-counter drugs to avoid filling an expensive prescription, while some say they skip or take a smaller dose than they’re prescribed.
But there are no other options for people with chronic conditions.
“If the person wasn’t able to obtain the drug they needed, they will have to go to the hospital. And as a healthcare system, the final cost may be much higher than originally would have been if the patient had a form of the drug in the first place,” Mariana Socal with Johns Hopkins University said.
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Medical experts at Johns Hopkins University say prices often go up when there are updates or changes to the drug.
In just one year, prices of more than 4,200 prescription drugs increased by more than 15%, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Man lawmakers are becoming concerned about the pharmaceutical profits.
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“As prescription drugs are unaffordable in our country for millions of Americans, ten of the top pharmaceutical companies in our country made over 110 billion dollars in profits in 2022,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vermont) said.
The Biden Administration is expected to run Medicare drug price negotiations this year to regulate companies that raised prices too high.
If you are having trouble paying for medications, try talking to your physician about whether there’s a cheaper or generic alternative that’s covered by your insurance. Also keep in mind that pharmacies price prescriptions differently, so check around and see how costs vary to get the best deal on your prescriptions.
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