Survey Highlights the Need for Increased Adoption of Price Transparency and Comparison Tools
ROCKVILLE, Md., April 12, 2022 – Even with the availability of price transparency tools, many patients are still left in the dark about prescription costs, with half of consumers abandoning needed medications at the pharmacy, according to a recent consumer survey sponsored by health technology pioneer DrFirst.
“This is a danger zone for public health,” said Colin Banas, MD, MHA, chief medical officer for DrFirst. “For some patients, especially those with chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, prescription abandonment can lead to serious health problems and hospital readmissions.”
Cost-related non-adherence could become a leading cause of death in the U.S. by 2030, surpassing diabetes, influenza, pneumonia, and kidney disease, according to a study by the nonprofit West Health Policy Center and Xcenda. To better understand the issue, DrFirst surveyed 200 American consumers about their experiences with prescriptions and price transparency.
The survey found that:
• Nearly half of consumers (43%) say their doctors did not discuss prescription costs within the last 12 months
• Half (49.5%) say they have abandoned a prescription at the pharmacy within the past few years because it was too expensive
