Saving $$$ on Prescription Drugs

According to a recent article in USA Today, Americans waste from $250B - $290B annually [yes, billions with a B] on prescription drugs. A study jointly conducted by Harvard University, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital reviewed various records including survey data, productivity losses, insurance payouts, and customer data. Their study found the waste was related to the following:

Missed doses


Taking incorrect doses [too much, not enough]


Forget to refill


Drugs too expensive


Feel they don’t need them

It is estimated that home mail delivery may save up to $88B in waste annually. While that is not always true, generics and higher adherence rates are associated with mail delivery of drugs. However, mail order may result in higher out of pocket expenses.

One creative method for saving money [related to me by a television viewer] is sitting down with the primary care physician and the Walmart $4 generic drug list. I obtained this 6-page list from the Walmart pharmacist and was pleased to find the most common dosages for the most commonly prescribed generics. A 30-day supply usually costs $4 while a 90-day supply costs only $10. The costs are higher in California, Hawaii, Montana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The television viewer stated that he “was sick and tired of spending so much on prescriptions.” Sitting down with the list and his physician, some drugs were changed to the Walmart generics, but not all. “Generics are similar but not identical. Some generics are not acceptable and may have different fillers than brand name drugs” he stated. And he is correct!

Unfortunately, older adults, especially those in the old-old and oldest-old cohort [Greatest Generation], are embarrassed to discuss their concerns about prescription drugs.

The most recent research indicates that approximately 25% of older adults skip or stretch [take partial] doses or cut back on utilities or food to afford their prescription drugs. Dangerous! This may result in health declines and additional expenses for doctors’ visits, emergency room visits, or in-patient hospitalizations.



Coleman, D. (2005). Medication compliance in the elderly. Journal of Community Nursing, 19(8), pp 4-6.

Kennedy, K. (2011, July 11). Missed meds waste over $250B a year: Bills in Congress would help pay for medication management. USA Today http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/studies-missed-meds-cost-250b-year/story?id=13699162

Klein, D., Turvey, C., & Wallace, R. (2004). Elders who delay medication because of cost: Health insurance, demographic, health, and financial correlates. The Gerontologist, 44(6), pp 779-787.

Malhotra, S., Karan, R.S., Pandhi, P., & Jain, S. (2007). Drug related medical emergencies in the elderly: Role of adverse drug reactions and non-compliance. Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Journal, 77, pp 703-707.

Walmart Retail Prescription Program Drug List (8/24/11).