Page 12 - SC Fall 2017

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Many older Americans who have diffi- About 16 percent had six or more
culty paying for their medications don’t prescriptions and saw more than one
seek help in finding cheaper options, a doctor. These patients were the most
new poll indicates. likely to say they struggled with drug
costs, the poll found. Among the re-
“We already know that cost can keep spondents who said their medication
patients from taking the drugs they need costs were a burden, 49 percent had not
to maintain health or prevent complica- talked to their doctors about the issue.
tions, but these new data suggest that But doing so was effective, because 67
many older adults aren’t talking to their percent of those who talked to their
doctors or pharmacists about cost and doctor received a recommendation for a
less-expensive alternatives as often as less expensive drug, as did 37 percent of
they could,” said poll director Dr. Preeti those who talked to their pharmacists.
Malani. She is a professor of internal
medicine at the University of Michigan “Based on these findings, and other
Medical School. evidence, we encourage patients to
speak up during their clinic visits, and
“This represents an opportunity for when they’re at the pharmacy, and ask
patients, clinicians -- as well as health about ways to reduce the cost of their
systems, insurers and policymakers,” prescriptions,” Malani said.
Malani added in a university news
release. “But equally, we see a need for health
professionals to find ways to more
The national poll of more than 2,100 routinely engage with patients about
adults aged 50 to 80 found that 27 per- cost - especially through formal
cent said their prescription drug costs medication reviews such as the one
were a financial burden.
that Medicare will cover,” she added.