Statistics of America's Struggle to Pay for Prescriptions

The Struggle to Pay for Prescriptions

If you've been taking the same prescription medication for any length of time, then it's likely you'll agree the costs of such products are skyrocketing. These rising costs are not easy to deal with, especially in the wake of the recent economic downturn, and Americans are searching for a solution. Dr. David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School says, "For middle-class Americans, health insurance offers little protection. Most of us have policies with so many loopholes, co-payments, and deductibles that illness can put you in the poorhouse."

In this report, we take a close look at the unbelievable statistics of American's struggle to pay for their prescription medications, the methods used when prescriptions aren't an option and our solution to this problem.

The Stats
When you say, "Prescription drug costs are out of control," you may not realize just how much of an understatement this truly is until you see the real numbers, provided below.

• In 2007, 1 in 7 Americans under 65 couldn't afford their prescriptions?up 32% since 2003.
  
• With the number of uninsured, working-aged Americans reaching 46 million, those with unmet prescription needs now may be as high as 1 in 5 adults?up 52% since 2003.
  
• From 1997 to 2007, prescription drug prices grew at a rate 250% higher than the rate of inflation. This means drug prices have increased at an average of 6.9% every year since 1997. What used to cost you $35.72 now costs $69.91.
  
• Between 2000 and 2008, 77% of brand name drugs underwent extraordinary price increases. For example, a rare cancer treatment costing $390 for a full course of treatment rose to more than $3,000, a price increase of nearly 700%.
  
• In 1990, spending in the U.S. for prescription drugs was $40 billion. In 2006, spending reached 216.7 billion?a 441% increase since 1990.
  
• The Department of Health and Human Services predicts sales will reach $515.7 billion by 2017?a 138% increase since 2006 and a total increase of 1,189% since 1990.
  

Insurance and Medicare
While insurance and Medicare both were created as ways to assist individuals in covering costs like for prescriptions, the truth is that both fall severely short of the mark. The insurance issue is simple: coverage continues to shrink while co-pays and premiums continue to rise. There are so many loopholes, co-payments, and deductibles that even with insurance, many still cannot afford their medications.

And then there is Medicare. The Medicare prescription plan known as Plan D stops paying for prescription drugs after exceeding initial drug coverage of $2,830. Then, coverage resumes only after seniors spend $3,610 out-of-pocket, when catastrophic coverage kicks in at $6,440. This is major gap, or hole if you will, known as the donut hole. This gap must be added to the $1,000
seniors must already pay for their annual deductibles and premiums. A total of 3.4 million seniors are affected by this gap, which is expected to increase to $6,000 by the year 2020.

A law was signed in March 2010 which was designed to provide relief from this gap, but it unfortunately has done very little to help. It offers the following provisions:

• A $250 rebate for those encountering the donut hole under Part D (2010)
  
• A 50% discount on brand name drugs from pharmaceutical manufacturers (2011)
  
• Federal subsidies for generics starting in 2011 and brand name drugs starting in 2013
  

As you can see, these "breaks" do little to assist with the current donut hole, which is at $3,360. And, in fact, reform will not address out-of-pocket expenses until 2014. Until then, seniors will suffer as seen in the following testimonies:

"My wife's experience with Medicare Part D coverage is as follows: she falls into the dreaded donut hole every September. Please keep in mind she takes only one medication, not a half dozen or more. That medication is treatment for her breast cancer. I don't know what we would do if she had to take other medications, because we have a difficult time paying for the Arimidex when we have to assume the entire cost for her medication during the last four months of the year while we live on our combined social security pensions." - Nigel of Roseburg, Oregon

"I am a breast cancer survivor and am taking the prescription drug "Femara." The cost of this drug is currently $879.00 for a 90-day supply. In 2010 the cost will increase to $1,013.00. I have Medicare coverage and the Part D plan where there is the "GAP." I'm in the GAP from July through December each year. I cannot continue with this drug for financial reasons. In addition, while I'm in the GAP, I'm still paying for my drug insurance" - Christine of Fairfield Glade, Tennessee

Alternative Methods to Prescriptions
When individuals cannot afford to pay for their prescription medications, they often turn to alternative methods of treatment. Here are just a few of the methods practiced by those affected:

• Increased physical fitness, improved diet and a modified lifestyle to improve overall health
  
• Garlic intake increased as a means to decrease total cholesterol
  
• Controlled breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to reduce stress
  
• Quitting smoking

  Unfortunately still, the chance of an asthma attack is increased with physical exercise and garlic can have significant side effects. While these methods are a great step in the right direction with or without medication, the truth is that prescription meds are what Americans need to assist and cure what ails them. Without them, millions are ending up in emergency rooms or even dying.
  

  The Solution
  The solution to outrageous prescription medication costs is simple: importation. By working with a provider with access to pharmacies in other regions of the world, you benefit from paying only
  the price of the drug itself and not the dramatic mark-up for profits, marketing and advertising the large pharmaceutical companies work into the cost of their products.
  Buck-A-Day Pharmacy is part of a worldwide network of licensed pharmacists that has provided pharmacy services to nearly 400,000 Americans. Our primary pharmacies are based and licensed in Mumbai, India and Istanbul, Turkey. So, ordering your prescription medications through our pharmacies, you will benefit from significant cost savings because 98% of our products will cost you less than $90 for a 3-month supply?less than $1 a day.

  For additional information about Buck-A-Day, our products and our guarantee, please visit www.buckadaypharmacy.com or call us 877-271-4557.

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