The amount of money from American pocketbooks for prescription
drug costs has risen by 50 percent between the years 1998 and 2002.
Researchers determined this by taking the average number and cost
of prescriptions filled per person and comparing it with the individual
state's average per capita income.
These results revealed that the states experiencing the most financial
difficulties had the following characteristics: significant number
of low-income residents, senior citizens and people without insurance.
The report also showed that the national average percentage of individual
income that went toward prescription costs rose from 1.2 percent
in 1998 to 1.9 percent in 2002.
Southern states were found to spend the highest amount out of their
personal incomes to cover prescription drug costs.
Highest State Spending on Prescription
Drugs
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
Lowest State Spending on Prescription
Drugs
- California
- Colorado
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Wyoming
The report is a strong indicator of the high costs of prescription
drugs and how they aren't feasible for Americans either economically
or politically. Conclusions from the report deduct that the most
logical way to alleviate this expense problem is to cut the costs
of prescription drugs.
On the other hand, drug industry leaders claimed that the rising
number of people spending their income on prescription drugs was
due to the increasing number of elderly people and availability
of medication. A drug spokesperson stated that prescription drugs
played a part in lowering the need for high cost hospital services.
Kaiser
Network July 15, 2004
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