Data Brief | | August 2024

Colorado Survey Respondents Worry about High Drug Costs; Support a Range of Government Solutions

Results from a survey of more than 1,400 Colorado adults conducted from March 26 to April 12, 2024
found that respondents across the state are concerned about prescription drug costs. These respondents
also express a strong desire for policymakers to enact solutions to address prescription drug affordability.

More than half (51%) of survey respondents reported being somewhat or very worried about affording the
cost of prescription drugs. Worry varied substantially by income group, with respondents in households
making less than $50,000 per year experiencing the most worry (see Figure 1).¹ However, it is important to note that a large percentage of households making above $75,000 per year also reported worrying about the cost of prescription drugs.

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In addition to the concerns about affording prescription drugs in the future, the survey reveals that more
than a quarter of respondents (26%) have had to ration medication due to cost concerns in the last year,
which for the purpose of this brief is defined as not filling a prescription, cutting pills in half or skipping a
dose (see Figure 2).

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These hardships are prevalent in lower- and middle-income households and among respondents living in
households with a person with a disability. Respondents with a disability or living with a person with a
disability reported higher rates of rationing medication due to cost compared to those without a disability
or a disabled household member (see Table 1).

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Despite Health First Colorado, the state Medicaid program, eliminating copays for covered prescription
drugs, respondents enrolled in the program still reported the highest rates of rationing medication due to
cost. When asked to elaborate on the conditions which led them to ration or forgo care, respondents
provided a variety of examples including the medication not being covered and challenges meeting prior
authorization requirements (see Table 2).

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Considering these challenges, as well as concerns about high health care costs generally, it is not
surprising that Colorado respondents are generally dissatisfied with the health care system.² In fact, just 27% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the United States health care system is “great,” while 76% agreed or strongly agreed that the United States health care system needs to change.

Colorado respondents also frequently reported that they believe that pricing decisions made by drug
companies are a major reason for high health care costs. In fact, out of fifteen options, the most
frequently cited reasons for high health care costs were:

• 79% — Drug companies charging too much money
• 71% — Hospitals charging too much money
• 71% — Insurance companies charging too much money

When it comes to tackling high drug costs, Colorado respondents endorsed a number of prescription
drug-related strategies, including:

• 92% — Cap out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications, such as insulin;
• 91% — Authorize the Attorney General to take legal action to prevent price gouging;
• 91% — Set standard prices for drugs to make them affordable;
• 89% — Prohibit drug companies from charging more in the U.S. than abroad; and
• 86% — Establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to examine evidence and establish acceptable costs for prescription drugs.

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  ²For more detailed information about healthcare affordability burdens facing Colorado respondents, please see Healthcare Value Hub, Colorado Residents Struggle to Afford High Healthcare Costs; Worry About Affording Healthcare in the Future; Support Government Action across Party Lines, Data Brief (August 2024).

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Moreover, there is strong bipartisan support for a variety of policies designed to address unaffordable
prescription drug costs. For example, nearly all (94% of) respondents agreed that drug companies should
be required to provide advance notice of price increases and to provide information to justify those
increases, including 93% of respondents identifying as a Republican, 95% of respondents identifying as a
Democrat and 92% of unaffiliated respondents (see Table 3).

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While Colorado respondents overwhelmingly support government action to address high drug costs, they
also see a role for themselves. Eighty-one percent (81%) would switch from a brand-name to an equivalent generic drug if given the chance, and 55% have sought or attempted to find the cost of a prescription drug beforehand.

Conclusion

The high burden of health care and prescription drug affordability, along with high levels of support for
change, suggests that elected leaders and other stakeholders need to make addressing this consumer
burden a top priority. Recent legislative action at both the federal and state levels may positively impact
consumer affordability, specifically for prescription drugs used to treat chronic conditions such as insulin,
epinephrine autoinjectors and asthma inhalers. Annual surveys can help assess whether progress is being made.

Methodology

Altarum’s Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey (CHESS) is designed to elicit respondents’ views on a wide range of health system issues, including confidence using the health system, financial burden and possible policy solutions. This survey, conducted from March 26 to April 12, 2024, used a web panel from Dynata with a demographically balanced sample of approximately 1,500 respondents who live in Colorado. Information about Dynata’s recruitment and compensation methods can be found here. The survey was conducted in English or Spanish and restricted to adults ages 18 and older. Respondents who
finished the survey in less than half the median time were excluded from the final sample, leaving 1,412 cases for analysis. After those exclusions, the demographic composition of respondents was as follows, although not all demographic information has complete response rates: