Why Patients Don't Take Medicines Save

About 60% of adults aged 18 and over reported taking at least one prescription medication in 2021, with 36% reporting taking three or more. Out-of-pocket costs on retail drugs rose 4.8% to $63 billion in 2021. High costs may limit individuals’ access to medications and lead to people not taking medication as prescribed; this may result in more serious illness and require additional treatment. This report examines the characteristics of adults aged 18–64 who took prescription medication in the past 12 months and did not take medication as prescribed due to cost. Cost-saving measures included skipping doses, taking less medication than prescribed, or delaying filling a prescription.

Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) identifies factors as to why US adults do not take medications as prescribed. 

In 2021, 8.2% of adults aged 18–64 who took prescription medication in the past 12 months reported not taking medication as prescribed due to cost. Women (9.1%) were more likely than men (7.0%) to not take medication as prescribed.

Adults with disabilities (20.0%) were more likely than adults without disabilities (7.1%) to not take medication as prescribed to reduce costs.

Uninsured adults were more likely than adults with other health coverage, Medicaid, or private health insurance to not take medication as prescribed due to cost.

Adults without prescription drug coverage were more likely to not take medication as prescribed to reduce costs compared with adults with public or private prescription drug coverage.