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Updated 3/4/2008 12:02 PM
Despite widespread insurance coverage, many Americans
say they have trouble paying for drugs. Significant minorities report not
filling a prescription, cutting pills in half or skipping doses to cut
costs.
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Percent of Americans who take prescription drugs
and amount they take:
|
|
|
|
|
All adults
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18-29
|
30-49
|
50-64
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65 and older
|
|
|
|
No drugs
|
45%
|
74%
|
58%
|
28%
|
14%
|
|
|
|
One
|
15%
|
17%
|
16%
|
14%
|
14%
|
|
|
|
Two
|
11%
|
4%
|
10%
|
16%
|
13%
|
|
|
|
Three
|
9%
|
4%
|
6%
|
12%
|
15%
|
|
|
|
Four or more
|
19%
|
2%
|
10%
|
29%
|
42%
|
|
|
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Among those who take prescription drugs: How much
of a problem it is for you or your family to pay for the medicines that
you need?
|
|
|
|
|
All
|
----Annual
household income ----
|
|
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Less than $25,000
|
$25,000-$49,999
|
$50,000-$74,999
|
$75,000 & above
|
|
|
|
Serious problem
|
19%
|
33%
|
21%
|
12%
|
9%
|
|
|
|
Problem, not serious
|
28%
|
21%
|
36%
|
34%
|
26%
|
|
|
|
Not much of a problem
|
53%
|
46%
|
42%
|
54%
|
65%
|
|
|
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Among those who take prescription drugs: Percent
who say they have done the following in the past two years:
|
|
|
|
|
All
|
----Annual
household income ----
|
|
|
Less than $25,000
|
$25,000-$49,999
|
$50,000-$74,999
|
$75,000 & above
|
|
|
|
Not filled a prescription because of the cost
|
36%
|
48%
|
42%
|
31%
|
22%
|
|
|
|
Cut pill in half or skipped doses to make a medicine
last longer
|
34%
|
42%
|
44%
|
25%
|
21%
|
|
|
Source: USA
TODAY/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health
poll of 1,695 adults nationwide, conducted by ICR, Jan. 3-23. Margin of
sampling error, +/3 percentage points.
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