Inflation and other issues are causing prescription drug prices to rise. As a result, forty-two percent of Americans have difficulty affording their healthcare and prescriptions. Many people under 65 with and without health insurance cut back on their medication to save money. A way to improve this is to give access to lower-price alternatives and work with your doctor to find solutions.
One terrible effect of the high price of health insurance is that when people can’t afford it, they skip their medicine. Among adults under the age of 65, 6% who had private insurance skipped medicines to save money, compared to 10% for those with Medicaid and 14% for those without insurance. Clearly, people both with and without insurance are having trouble affording their medicine due to the rise in prices.
The problem of skipping medicine becomes worse when a person takes multiple prescriptions. According to a Harvard University study, “Given the range of health conditions that many adults face, from high cholesterol and high blood pressure to arthritis, diabetes, and more, it’s not unusual for some people to take five or more different prescription drugs per day…[This] can lead to a bad outcome, like heart attack or stroke. It can also increase medical costs of hospitalization or other medical interventions.” If people with and without insurance take multiple medicines and are skipping them due to cost, it can make their health problems worse.
I’m trying to raise awareness about this problem so people can realize there are solutions, like gaining access to lower-price alternatives. It may also be possible to stop taking some medications. Which ones might I be able to stop with minimal risk to my health? There isn’t always an easy answer to this question. You may need to do your own research to make a shared decision with your doctor.
Inflation in the healthcare industry has affected people with and without health insurance. I’ve heard a lot about it and know there are solutions, but not everyone knows about them, so I hope to raise awareness. While I want doctors and patients to be involved in solving this now, in the future, I hope the government takes action and creates more ways to help people.
