I read an article about some US residents are failing to take their prescriptions drugs due to the cost. In the recession economy that has finally been verified as a recession, many families are cutting back on necessities of life...
I know my Mother has fallen into the practice of not filling prescriptions since she just cannot afford the multitude of pills that she needs to take in order to feel good, including depression medication. I don't want to write this as a political debate, but I researched this since I spent hours and hours in the emergency room lately with a friend.
The CBS news report indicated that even drug sales have fallen in the last couple years due to the economy. It makes sense. When will this economic depression resolve?
You can read the full article here http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/126511.php.
Do you know of people who are no longer taking their medications due to the prices?
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Good question Alison. As you know the healthcare system has been in crisis for a while now. Talks about universal healthcare have been on the table with several administrations. I am sure it will come back stronger than ever with the Obama team. I have my own thoughts about what needs to happen to improve not only access to care by everyone (including the uninsured) but to also cut the dependency on healthcare model that focuses on treating symptoms vice creating wellness. Not to mention a system that is filled with inefficiencies, red tape and fraud.
As I stated on previous posting, I have been in the industry too long to know that healthcare is a business and as such "profit" is at the center of the equation. Pharma, Insurance, technology providers, service providers, physician groups, lawyers, etc, etc, etc are part of this monster which is eating our country alive. Many attempts to reform healthcare have failed because we continue to make the same mistakes or refuse to recognize that a radical new thinking is needed to address the many problems than affect so many Americans in the most vulnerable area of survival.
Although nearly 47 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than other industrialized nations, and those countries provide health insurance to all their citizens.
Experts agree that our health care system is riddled with inefficiencies, excessive administrative expenses, inflated prices, poor management, and inappropriate care, waste and fraud. These problems significantly increase the cost of medical care and health insurance for employers and workers and affect the security of families.
In a 2007 Wall Street Journal-NBC Survey it stated that almost 50 percent of the American public say the cost of health care is their number one economic concern. I think in 2008 and beyond this issue is going up due to the economy, the mass lay-offs and employers filing for bankruptcy. There is another USA Today/ABC News survey that reported that 80 percent of Americans said that they were dissatisfied (60 percent were very dissatisfied) with high national health care spending. Have you wondered where does that spending come from? Huhm, perhaps it is due to unnecessary surgeries? over medicated/over prescribed patients i.e. mental health? Multi-specialty treatments for a solo patient whose body gets fragmented into separate organs while no management of treatment outcomes is monitored?
Another recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem. It is more than likely that these numbers have gone up with our current economic crisis.
According to a more recent report, the United States has $480 billion in excess spending each year in comparison to Western European nations that have universal health insurance coverage. The costs are mainly associated with excess administrative costs and poorer quality of care. We still are one of the sickest nations among industrialized countries.
The USA spends six times more per capita on the administration of the health care system than its peer Western European nations
Along party lines we know that rising health care costs is the top personal pocketbook concern for Democratic voters (45%) and Republicans (35%), well ahead of higher taxes or retirement security. Will a Democratic President with a majority Democratic Congress have the power to push the universal healthcare program? Who will oppose? It will be interesting to see.
I think we need to rethink our model of healthcare to one that makes the patient more educated about taking charge of his/her health long before the onset of disease. Risk Health Assessments are one step in that direction, but health insurance companies and Medicare are not there yet in terms of providing cost incentives to employers and employees who practice healthier life styles. But the time has come, it is long overdue. We need more States to adhere to efficient management of uninsured with emphasis in prevention at all levels. And why not, higher cost for those who do not care enough for their body and mind to live a healthier, more productive lives. Employers should not be forced to pay for medical benefits for these employees!
Here is more information that can help us get better educated about this very serious problem: http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml
December 8, 2008 - 10:24pmThis Comment
Coach Virginia,
Thank you for this information. Have you read any research that looks at what we should be doing to start improving the crisis we are in? Has anyone read healthcare plan options for the nation, and can summarize the pros/cons for the rest of us? I would love to become more educated on this subject, and do not even know where to begin.
thanks!
December 7, 2008 - 3:08pmThis Comment
Cost for sure is one of the top factors influencing medication compliance (adherence) among patients in the United States. But from experience working in the healthcare field with clinical professionals like RN Care Managers, data indicates that there are many other reasons for this non-compliance.
Many survey results conducted among patients show that because fear of possible embarrassment, being chastised, or seeming to be ungrateful for a doctor's care, they did not admit to being uncompliant to their drug treatment. Here is a list of other reasons from those surveys:
• Forgot to take their meds
• Did not pick up their prescription from the pharmacy
• Purpose of treatment was not clear
• Perceived lack of effect
• Real or perceived side-effects but did not tell doctor
• Instructions for administration were not clear
• Physical difficulty in complying (e.g. opening medicine containers, handling small tablets, swallowing difficulties, travel to place of treatment)
• Unpleasant taste
. Complicated regimen when other meds have to be taken too
• Cost of drugs
Our team of nurses would discuss these results and validate them with annecdotal stories. For those patients taking multiple drugs from multiple physicians for example, it is true that little education is provided on possible contraindications, side effects etc. Either the patient did not tell the doctor the meds he/she was taking or the doctor failed to acknowledge this information. If medication X causes "forgetfulness" the patient could also forget to take the other pills. For other patients, the side effects were so bad that on their own would cut the dosage in half.
The national efforts to regain control of medication cost (for the payors and patients) include a more aggressive push for Generic drugs as a top government agenda which may also include a Universal Model of healthcare. But in my opinion, the crisis in our healthcare system is also on the ever growing need for treating many conditions with drugs instead of focusing on more natural approaches to wellness that would allow the body to return to optimal functioning using the inherent self healing ability of our physiology which has been validated by many studies in the field of medicine.
Studies have also shown that non-compliance causes 125,000 deaths annually in the US (2), leads to 10 to 25 percent of hospital and nursing home admissions, and is becoming an international epidemic. It is, in the words of The New York Times (1) the world’s "other drug problem".
Negative Economic Effects of Non-Compliance
· 23% of nursing home admissions due to noncompliance(3). Cost $31.3 billion / 380,000 patients.
· 10% of hospital admissions due to noncompliance (4,5). Cost $15.2 billion / 3.5 million patients.
Prescriptions
· About 50% of the 2 billion prescriptions filled each year are not taken correctly.
· 1/3 of patients take all their medicine, 1/3 take some, 1/3 don't take any at all (Rx prescription never filled)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-08-prescription-chart_N.htm
http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/Features/Prescription_Medicine_Misuse
We are among the highest users of prescription drugs in the world but are still among the sickest most technologically advanced societies. Our healthcare system will not be able to sustain much longer its financial infrastructure even if the economy gets better! We have been in crisis for a while now. Medicare and other payors will not be able to keep up and the uninsured numbers will continue to increase. We need a new approach to HEALTHCARE one where the outcome is health and wellness instead of a never ending drug-centric model.
December 6, 2008 - 10:12pmThis Comment