Impact of Medication Costs on Patient Compliance
Work Type
Poster
Abstract
Medication non-adherence can be for many reasons, including the cost of medications, access to a pharmacy, access to care, and lack of awareness about their chronic conditions.
In America, medication nonadherence costs us 100- 290 billion dollars annually.1
Along with side effect profiles, cost-related medication nonadherence (CRMN) is the top reason for medication nonadherence.2
It is estimated that 1/5 of adults over 65 report CRMN, which feeds into reasons for rehospitalizations, repeated visits, and new medical problems.3
It is estimated that 93.5 million Americans take at least one prescription medication, with over $300 billion being spent on prescription medications.4
There are hundreds of different companies, the most well-known of which is GoodRx, that can help Americans cover the costs of their medications.
Some examples of cost-saving companies are GoodRx, Amazon Prime Rx, CostPlus Drugs, Inside Rx, and many more.
These companies are run by using a pharmacy benefits manager to negotiate prices with the manufacturer. PBMs could be described as real estate agents. The PBM and the company (for example, GoodRx) will pocket some of the rebate.5
For example, CostPlus drugs will mark up the drugs by 15% plus the pharmacy fee. Compared to some pharmacies, which on average mark up by 20-25%, with some hospitals marking up to 250%.6
A study observed 20 commonly prescribed generic medications on Amazon Prime and GoodRx. And Altogether, it was estimated that the out-of-pocket cost savings with these two pharmacy discount card programs would total about $969 million and $1.83 billion, respectively. 7, 8
Publication Date
5-15-2025
Citation Information
Rempe, Madison, "Impact of Medication Costs on Patient Compliance" (2025). Student Works Physician Assistant. 105.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/stu_pa/105
