Millions of adults in the United States are not taking their medications as prescribed because of rising costs, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2021, most adults ages 18–64 took at least one prescription medication, but more than 8 percent—about 9.2 million people—said they tried to save money by skipping doses, taking less than was prescribed, or delaying a prescription fill, according to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey.
Americans spend around $1,310 a year on average for prescription drugs—more than any other country—according to the latest available OECD data.
“Although the average price per prescription remained flat between 2020 and 2021, the number of retail prescriptions grew, with out-of-pocket spending for prescription medications increasing by 4.8 percent,” the CDC reported….