A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to cover their medication costs

A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to cover their medication costs

The affordability of prescription medications has become a significant concern for many Americans, with an increasing number of people struggling to cover the costs. According to a recent survey, 67% of Americans filling prescriptions described the cost of their medication as a burden in 2025, a sharp increase from previous years[1].

This financial strain has led to more individuals making difficult choices, such as cutting back on essentials like food, housing, and transportation to afford medications. In 2025, 42% of Americans reported taking action that could negatively impact their lifestyle or personal finances, up from 37% in the previous year[1].

One of the most concerning trends is the rise in people rationing or delaying medication doses, or stopping them entirely. In 2025, 1 in 5 reported rationing their medications due to cost, a significant increase from the 34% who made changes in 2024[1].

To cope with the high costs, people are resorting to riskier alternatives, including using over-the-counter substitutes, sharing medications, or purchasing medicines abroad[1]. Creating a more affordable system is crucial, as these practices can have serious health consequences.

Expanding resources like discount programs, manufacturer copay cards, and talking to healthcare professionals about cost is an important first step to improving medication access and affordability[2]. In 2025, 38% of people used a prescription discount card or coupon, and many also shopped around at different pharmacies or asked their healthcare professional for more affordable alternatives[1].

The increased costs and uncertainty about healthcare subsidies, such as the expiring enhanced ACA subsidies after 2025, compound financial pressures and could lead to more individuals being uninsured or underinsured, which further impacts affordability and lifestyle decisions[2].

In summary, the rising cost of prescriptions has forced many Americans to make significant lifestyle adjustments, sacrificing other necessities and sometimes health adherence in order to manage medication expenses. This trend is worsening, intensifying both economic and health risks for a large segment of the population[1][2].

References: [1] GoodRx Research survey, 2025 [2] Kaiser Family Foundation, 2025

1. The affordability of science in the workplace-wellness domain, particularly medical-conditions related to chronic-diseases like chronic-kidney-disease, COPD, type-2-diabetes, and cance, has become a significant concern.
2. These medical-conditions often necessitate expensive treatments, leading to a financial burden for countless Americans.
3. According to recent statistics, 67% of Americans filling prescriptions for chronic-diseases described the cost as a burden in 2025, a sharp increase from previous years.
4. This financial strain has led to difficult choices, such as cutting back on essentials like food, housing, and transportation to afford medications.
5. In 2025, 42% of Americans reported taking action that could negatively impact their lifestyle or personal finances, up from 37% in the previous year.
6. One of the most concerning trends is the rise in people rationing or delaying medication doses, or stopping them entirely due to cost.
7. In 2025, 1 in 5 reported rationing their medications due to cost, a significant increase from the 34% who made changes in 2024.
8. To cope with the high costs, people are resorting to riskier alternatives, including using over-the-counter substitutes, sharing medications, or purchasing medicines abroad.
9. Creating a more affordable system for chronic-diseases treatments is crucial, as these practices can have serious health consequences.
10. Expanding resources like discount programs, manufacturer copay cards, and talking to healthcare professionals about cost is an important first step to improving medication access and affordability for chronic-diseases.
11. In 2025, 38% of people used a prescription discount card or coupon for their chronic-diseases medications.
12. Many also shopped around at different pharmacies or asked their healthcare professional for more affordable alternatives.
13. The increased costs and uncertainty about healthcare subsidies, such as the expiring enhanced ACA subsidies after 2025, compound financial pressures and could lead to more individuals being uninsured or underinsured.
14. This further impacts affordability and lifestyle decisions, especially for those suffering from chronic-diseases.
15. The rising cost of prescriptions for chronic-diseases has forced many Americans to make significant lifestyle adjustments, sacrificing other necessities and sometimes health adherence in order to manage expenses.
16. This trend is worsening, intensifying both economic and health risks for a large segment of the population.
17. In addition to chronic-diseases, affordability is also a concern for other health-and-wellness issues like digestive-health, eye-health, and hearing.
18. For example, some individuals may struggle to afford essential therapies-and-treatments for skin-care, mental-health, and cardiovascular-health conditions.
19. Moreover, the cost of treatments for autoimmune-disorders, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid-arthritis, and others, can be quite high, further exacerbating financial pressures.
20. To alleviate some of these financial strains, individuals are turning to personal-finance strategies like savings, debt-management, and budgeting.
21. This includes seeking advice from financial professionals, learning about education-and-self-development, and practicing mindfulness and productivity techniques for career-development and job-search.

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