The United States has a history of drug unaffordability and inaccessibility, especially for older adults living in underserved communities, and more than two million Medicare beneficiaries and nearly four million privately insured working-age adults reported skipping needed treatment because of cost.
The analysis from the Urban Institute offers insight as Congress debates drug pricing reform provisions in the Build Back Better Acts, discovering:
High and rising prescription drug costs are a considerable public health concern that fosters accessibility challenges and unmet needs for consumers, regardless of coverage status. Policies to reduce drug prices, limit out-of-pocket costs and expand health insurance coverage would help millions afford and access needed prescription they are currently unable to pay for.
The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.
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