Survey: Many Skip Drugs Because of Cost

About 8% of Americans don’t take their medicines as prescribed because they can’t afford them, a new survey finds. Many also use other tactics to save on drugs, the survey found. About 15% have asked their doctors for a lower-cost alternative. Another 2% have bought prescription drugs from another country. The National Center for Health Statistics did the study. It was based on the 2013 National Health Interview. People under age 65 were almost twice as likely as older adults to skip their medicines for financial reasons (8.5% vs. 4.4%). More than 5% of those under 65 and less than 3% of older adults skipped doses or took less medicine to save money. About 7% of younger and 3% of older adults delayed filling prescriptions. Insurance coverage affected decisions. About 6% of adults under 65 who had private insurance skipped medicines to save money.