Seniors Want Docs To Look At Rx Costs: Study
7 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // December 11th, 2007 // 1:28 pm
Here are some sobering stats about seniors and meds - two-thirds of 1,100 California seniors surveyed had difficulty paying for their drugs, 25 percent stopped or skipped taking a med due to cost, and seven out of 10 want their docs to offer choices, according to research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (This is the abstract).
“It’s clear from this study that most people want” more info, Chien-Wen Tseng, an associate professor of medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and an investigator at the Pacific Health Research Institute, who was the lead author, tells The Honolulu Advertiser. “Physicians need to ask and health plans need to get them (doctors) the cost information.” Other findings of the survey, which was financed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation…
- only 45 percent said their docs offer choices;
- only 19 percent said their docs asked if they could afford a drug;
- only 17 percent said their docs checked to see if they could afford the meds.
- 88 percent want their docs to steer them toward specific meds.
The research underscores the problem facing people who are at least 65 years old or older, the paper writes, although Tseng notes the issue is complicated - many docs are pressed for time to check patient insurance coverage, and health plans need to do a better job of making the info available to docs. Tseng also says many seniors don’t quiz their docs about drug costs because they think docs can’t do anything about it or are too embarrassed to ask.
Compounding the problem is the drug coverage varies by insurers offering drug coverage under Medicare Part D, the Advertiser explains. Tseng said 71 percent of those subscribing to such plans are with programs that have the so-called “doughnut hole” in drug coverage where people must pay out of their own pocket when total drug costs are more than $2,510 and less than $5,726, the level when catastrophic coverage kicks in. [UPDATE: The survey was conducted in 2002 so while costs are an issue for those who hit the donut hole, it's not clear how Part D may have altered views.]
[UPDATE #2: We wrote Tseng to ask about the extent to which she believes the survey responses are still relevant and this is her reply: "The study was done in 2002 and is even more relevant today because of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit which requires cost-sharing in the form of premius, deductibles, copays, and a doughnut hole in coverage where beneficiaries pay 100 percent of drug costs out of pocket until they reach catastrophic coverage.
"Seniors and their providers should be talking from day one about whether they are likely to fall into the doughnut hole before the end of the year (health plans are required to tell members what their total drug costs are to date). For seniors that fall into the doughnut hole, they should ask their providers with help in reviewing their medication lists in making their medications more affordable."]
Source: The Honolulu Advertiser and the Journal of the American Geriatric Society
Atlex
This is an extremely misleading report. The survey data looks to be from 2002, which is well before the implementation of Medicare Part D. The report has little relevance in today’s market. If the same survey was conducted today, the results would be significantly different.
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Ed Silverman
Hi Atlex,
For better or worse, the researcher wrote us to explain why she believes the data is relevant today. For those who didn’t realize, we’ve included her reply and labeled it UPDATE No. 2. Curious to hear any further thoughts from one and all.
Best
ed at Pharmalot
Atlex
Ed, thanks for the follow-up.
Certainly the donut hole is an issue; fortunately only a smaller percentage of senior actually do fall into the donut. As you may know, the poorest of seniors don’t have a donut hole and the majority of the rest don’t spend enough to reach it. The author, in her update, seems to imply that there are all of these extraordinary costs associated with the benefit. However, the bottom line is that most senior, particularly those with high drugs costs are spending less today than they did prior to the benefit’s implementation in 2006 yet getting more prescriptions.
Should seniors be mindful of drugs costs–absolutely. But, I think the authors have an underlying agenda to cast dispersions on the the Part D benefit, although to-date, the benefit is working far better than predicted.
Brian
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sid
You know I have to agree with Brian above. The states mentioned are California and Hawaii. I know that all states have elderly that are poverty stricken…. that being said how many of those 2/3 of elderly are living in million dollar homes? Everyone wants something free. In this era of entitlements people, especially those that have always know medicare and social security, think health care should be free. If you have a million dollar home maybe a reverse mortgage is the answer. If you surveyed me I would tell you the price of milk is too high and I have trouble paying for it. Now if I didn’t gamble my paycheck on the horses, maybe I could buy milk.
If they want docs to offer them choices, maybe they should tell their docs that. If they truly can’t afford it have them call Montel and if they are skipping meds how can you not tell your doc or pharmacist.
In my house, if you don’t A-S-K, you don’t G-E-T.