Sky-rocketing costs of pharmaceuticals is a much-discussed topic in our current healthcare environment. We have seen the damage when those without scruples put profits before patients, such as happened last year when the cost of an Epipen soared to hundreds of dollars. While the harm caused by the obvious examples is readily apparent, patients are suffering everyday because of the costs of their medications and making tough decisions as to whether they can afford to buy all or any of them.
As a physician, I spend much of my day responding to calls from patients and pharmacies because a medication I prescribed is not covered by a health insurance plan and is too expensive. Much time gets wasted in this process by all parties involved. Typically, the doctor prescribes the medication they believe is the best for that specific patient and then the patient goes to the pharmacy to pick it up. It is only then they find out how much it will cost them.
Many times, a patient may decide to just not get the medication. I only find out when they return for their follow up visit with their blood pressure or blood sugar in the danger zone. Because of past experiences, some patients may decide to “try” medications that a friend or relative has first to save costs. This has its own sets of danger. One survey showed that only 32 percent of people are satisfied with the current prescription drug process.
While we debate the ethics of big pharmaceutical companies, something clearly needs to be done now for the patients caught in the web of an inefficient prescription delivery system. We cannot force these big companies to lower medication costs. Doctors can aim to prescribe lower cost alternatives whenever possible. But, this must never be at the cost of quality care. And sometimes, the best option is the costlier one. While doctors balance this tightrope, patients need new tools to help them get the medications they need and that they can afford.
Some pharmacies do have price lists available online for those who are internet savvy. But, this is incomplete and time-consuming. When a person is sick, they simply may not be well enough taking on this task. Healthcare is confusing enough these days. Many patients, or even doctors for that matter, do not understand the complexities of copays, coinsurances, and deductibles. Navigating this maze is hard enough but add on the level of finding affordable medications can become intolerable to many.
One great tool that patients can utilize are medical apps that save them time searching online. Regarding medication costs, one great app is Hippo, which allows a patient to search the cost of a medication in all the pharmacies in their area. In fact, there are over 70,000 pharmacies that can be searched through this app. It is quite simple to use and the results easy to understand. A typical search appears as the attached screenshot on the homepage.
Knowing the cost of a medication beforehand can save the patient time and money. No one wants to be going back and forth between the doctor and pharmacy, with the insurance company mediating, especially when they don’t feel well. While many people assume that if doctors resort to prescribing only generics, costs can be controlled. This is simply no longer true as the cost of generics are rising as well. One antibiotic that used to be on certain $4 pharmacy plans can now approach $100 for a 10 -day course of the medication.
Patients should never be put in a position where they have to chose which of their medications they can afford to take. I see this frequently with patients on multiple medications and those with chronic diseases. Very real complications can set in when a patient goes without their meds. For example, diabetics can develop kidney failure, heart disease, blindness, diabetic foot ulcers, and peripheral neuropathy if they are not taking the meds they need in order to control their blood sugars.
We should all be finding ways to make it easier for patients to get the care they need. A free app that does the work for them is one great way to help.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Linda Girgis, MD, FAAFP
Oh,
And congratulations with the new site. Neat!
Linda,
Thank you for placing a spotlight on this growing trend in medicine and healthcare—the growing cost of medications. The lack of affordability of prescription drugs, the seemingly poor control over pharmaceutical profit margins, the role of governing bodies, the ethics of it all—and the patient, who, in the end, pulls the shortest stick.
A free App can definitely help.
A second actionable plan: It is also crucial for patients (suffering from chronic lifestyle diseases) to take ownership of their health. It’s a shared responsibility. Discover and learn how to reverse much of their chronic illnesses, or at least improve control. T2DM is a good example.
Thanks for the post, Linda!