Medication access through patient assistance programs

Abstract

The retail cost of prescription medications increased an average of 7.4% annually from 1993 to 2003.1 This has significant implications for the millions of Americans who lack health insurance or prescription drug coverage. Among individuals with health insurance plans, 1 in 10 individuals age 65 years or younger and 1 in 3 persons over age 65 years lack prescription drug coverage.2 While not all individuals who lack prescription drug coverage face financial hardship, it is well documented that medication costs often impede access and adherence to medication regimens.3,–5 Individuals without prescription drug coverage are more likely to skip doses or not fill prescriptions in order to lower medication costs.5,6 While physicians are aware of the high cost of prescription medications, they often are unaware of patients’ out-of-pocket costs.7 Evidence indicates that conversations between the provider and patient regarding the burden of out-of-pocket expenses are infrequent.8,–10