Prescription Drugs

The "Medicaid Drug Decisions Transparency Act" would require pharmaceutical companies to disclose their payments to pharmacists and others who serve on state Medicaid drug boards — the advisory groups that decide which drugs Medicaid will and won't cove

Sen. Cory Booker Calls For More Transparency In Medicaid Drug Decisions

8:47pm December 17, 2018

by Liz Whyte

Booker is introducing a bill this week in response to an investigation by the Center for Public Interest and NPR. He calls drug firms' infiltration into Medicaid's decision process "nefarious."

When to get care and when to pass often comes down to finances.

Health & Safety

Poll: Young People More Likely To Defer Health Care Because Of Cost

2:12pm December 07, 2018

by Scott Hensley

A third of people under 35 said cost led them to put off some form of health care, compared with only 8 percent of people 65 and older, a poll by NPR and IBM Watson Health found.

Rising Cost Of PrEP, A Pill That Prevents HIV, Pushes It Out Of Reach For Many

6:00am June 30, 2018

Many people at high risk for HIV can't afford PrEP, though it's more than 90 percent effective if taken daily. Its list price, close to $2,000 for a 30-day supply, has risen 45 percent in six years.

As the price of specialty drugs continues to rise, some health plans are shifting more of the cost to patients.

Why Some Patients Getting Drugmakers' Help Are Paying More

5:00am May 30, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

Some health plans are refusing to count the copayment assistance offered by drugmakers as part of a patient's deductible. That means some patients are paying thousands of dollars more out-of-pocket.

Many Medicare patients don't realize they can sometimes pay less out of pocket for a prescription drug if they pay cash, instead of the insurance copay.

To Lower Your Medicare Drug Costs, Ask Your Pharmacist For The Cash Price

10:35am May 29, 2018

by Susan Jaffe

Sometimes a drug plan's copay is higher than the cash price, but insurance rules keep pharmacists from telling Medicare beneficiaries unless they ask.

In a speech Friday, President Trump announced a plan that lists dozens of "potential" steps his team may take to lower drug prices, along with many others that were included in his budget proposal and will require congressional action.

Trump Drug Pricing 'Blueprint' Could Take Years To Build

12:17am May 12, 2018

by Alison Kodjak

The 39-page drug price plan includes an array of ideas that the administration will consider, but it's unclear which ones will be implemented.

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Patients with private insurance like the drug coupons because they can help make specialty medicines more affordable. But health care analysts say the coupons may also discourage patients from considering appropriate lower-cost alternatives, including gen

Why Can't Medicare Patients Use Drugmakers' Discount Coupons?

5:00am May 09, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

U.S. law prohibits people on Medicare from using the discount coupons the makers of expensive medicines offer. The law aims to reduce federal drug spending and Medicare fraud, but can feel unfair.

Renea Molden was able to stop taking opioid painkillers with the help of non-opioid alternatives.

Opioids Don't Beat Other Medications For Chronic Pain

7:07pm March 06, 2018

by Alex Smith

Nonopioid treatments for common conditions that leave people in chronic pain fare as well as opioid treatments and have fewer risks and side effects.

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After two weeks of recovery from an addiction to opioids prescribed by her surgeon, Katie Herzog takes a walk with her dog, Pippen.

Should Hospitals Be Punished For Post-Surgical Patients' Opioid Addiction?

11:11am November 26, 2017

by Martha Bebinger

Many surgeons prescribe strong pain medicine without knowing how much their patients actually need. A group of doctors says hospitals should be accountable for patients' long-term opioid use.

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Younger people are more likely to shop around for prices on prescription drugs, according to the latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics poll.

Why Do People Stop Taking Their Meds? Cost Is Just One Reason

11:46am September 08, 2017

by Katherine Hobson

The latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics poll finds that one-third of people say they're stopped taking a prescription drug without telling their doctor. And that could be putting their health at risk.