High Drug Costs Lead 5 Percent of Seniors to Skip or Ration Medication, Study Finds

The National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 5 percent of adults older than 65 rationed medication, skipped doses, or did not fill a prescription in an attempt to rein in their prescription drug costs, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . Women, seniors younger than 74, those covered solely by Medicare, and individuals just above the poverty line were most likely to follow this strategy. Nearly 66 percent of adults over 65 have at least two chronic conditions, potentially exposing them to high prescription drug costs for maintenance medications. The researchers warned medication rationing is associated with more emergency room visits and hospitalizations.