Prescription drug prices in the United States are nearly 2.8 times higher than the prices in other OECD countries, like Canada, Japan, and France.¹ With seven in every ten American adults (70.5%) prescribed at least one medication, these high costs impact the majority of the population to some degree.²

Medication Rationing

When prescription drugs are unaffordable, patients may be forced to ration the medications they have on hand by skipping doses or splitting pills in half, or they may not be able to fill their prescription at all. Individuals who ration medication often experience worse health outcomes and more frequently use health care services relative to patients who take their medication as prescribed.³ More than one in every four (30% of) respondents reported rationing medication due to cost concerns in the last year (see Figure 1).

Among Maine respondents, medication rationing was most commonly reported among respondents enrolled in MaineCare, followed by those with private insurance and Medicare. However, certain populations were more likely to report rationing medication, such as respondents earning less than $75,000 a year and respondents with a disability or living in a household with a person with a disability (see Table 1).

Nationally, rationing behaviors occur across income and insurance status, approximately 27% of prescriptions written to insured American adults go unfilled due to insurance coverage denials.⁴ While some patients are able to overcome these obstacles by using secondary insurance, paying out-of-pocket, or applying manufacturer coupons, 30% of survey respondents identified lowering what you pay out of pocket for prescription drugs as one of their top three policy priorities for government action.

Worries about Affording the Cost of Prescription Drugs in the Future

Half (50%) of survey respondents reported being somewhat or very worried about affording the cost of prescription drugs. Worry varies by income group, with respondents in households making less than $50,000 per year experiencing the most worry (see Table 2).⁵ However, a large percentage of households making above $75,000 per year also reported worrying about the cost of prescription drugs. 

Health Care Systems, Policy Solutions

Maine respondents reported that they believe drug companies have a major responsibility for rising health care costs. The most frequently cited players contributing to rising health care costs were:  

• 81% — Drug companies charging too much money
• 77% — Insurance companies charging too much money
• 54% — Hospitals charging too much money 

When asked about their views on policy solutions to influence health care costs and efficiency, respondents in Maine endorsed several strategies, including:

• 94% – Prevent hospitals from charging more for routine health care services that are most often provided in a doctor’s office.
• 93% — Rein in how quickly prescription drug prices can increase in the private health insurance market (Medicare and Medicaid already do this);
• 93% — Prohibit extra fees that aren’t connected to the cost of your care, like hospitals charging facility fees at offices and clinics miles away from the hospital campus;
• 93% — Limit the price of expensive prescription drugs;
• 92% – Limit the prices at expensive hospitals in the private health insurance market (Medicare and Medicaid already set hospital prices for their markets);
• 91% – Increase investment in primary care;
• 91% – Integrate the Medicaid and Medicare programs for people who are eligible for both to make it simpler for them to navigate those programs;
• 88% – Change the way we pay doctors and hospitals to reward quality outcomes rather than quantity of services;
• 88% – Make it easier for people to apply for and renew their Medicaid coverage;
• 87% — Allow the government to limit and prevent health care mergers that could reduce competition and increase health care prices; and
• 81% — Allow your pharmacist to substitute for a lower cost prescription drug option, if available, without needing to get permission from your prescriber;

The survey also revealed that there is bipartisan support for these policy strategies as well (see Table 3).