It’s thumped – drug prices have already produced negative lifestyle effects.

Since we first ran this survey in 2018, the number of patients who need to tap into their savings accounts to pay for prescription medications has increased yearly. In the last year, more than 20% of respondents reported using savings for medication.

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Patients turned to a variety of cost-saving measures as well, including delaying a refill after running out of medications (16%), rationing medications (16%), and switching to a more affordable alternative medication (11%). Some patients stopped taking one of their medications entirely due to cost (10%), and a smaller amount purchased their medication abroad (3%).

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Like we saw in 2018 and 2020, patients also took on debt to pay for their prescription medications. Nearly 18% of survey participants reported borrowing money from family or friends to pay for prescription drugs; others took out loans (6%), additional mortgages (2%), or even declared bankruptcy (1%).

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More people report difficulty paying for basic necessities due to prescription drug costs

Over the last year, nearly one-quarter of people reported trouble paying for basic life necessities due to the cost of prescription medications. This is up 5% from 2018. Unfortunately, this percentage may keep rising if drugs become more expensive and insurance coverage becomes less comprehensive.