Data analyzed by

State Health Compare

Percent who made changes to medical drugs because of cost in the past year

Measure Overview

The cost of medical drugs in the United States is significantly higher than in other nations. Rising medical drug prices in recent years have made it difficult for some Americans to afford their prescriptions. As a result, individuals may alter their medical drug consumption behavior out of financial necessity, such as asking their doctor for cheaper medications, delaying refills, taking less medication than prescribed, skipping dosages, using alternative therapies, or buying medications out of the country. Measuring changes in medical drug consumption behavior is an important consideration when assessing health care affordability in the U.S.

State Health Compare provides annual, state-level rates of individuals who made changes to their medical drugs in the past 12 months due to cost. These rates are available across three different breakdowns: year, type of health insurance (private, public, or uninsured), and age group (either 19-64 years or 65 and older).

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