Here's what patients do when they can't afford their medicines

A new CDC report digs into three strategies adults used in 2017 when trying to cut down on medicine costs. Here’s a breakdown of the findings:

• Asking for a lower-cost drug: Nearly 1 in 5 people reported asking their physicians to prescribe a cheaper drug, down from 1 in 4 people in 2013. Women and those without insurance were more likely to make the request.
• Not taking as directed: Eleven percent of adults reported not taking their medication as prescribed, which meant skipping doses, taking less of a drug than directed, or waiting to fill a prescription.
• Relying on alternative therapies: More than 5 percent of people used alternative therapies to reduce costs. Uninsured adults were twice as likely as those on Medicaid and three times as likely as those with private insurance to use the strategy.

The report’s authors say the strategies may have effects on health, as they have been associated with more costs down the line from increased emergency room use or hospitalizations.