Question

what are some causes that patients may not be able to afford their medications?

what are some alternatives that may be less costly?

are there any supportive personnel or services that could help patients afford their medications?

Answer 1

1. Health and social care services brings about several expenditures and drains lot of funds and finances, there are several cases where the patient is unable to afford their own medication and achieve better health. Some of these causes are low socio-economic levels, the individual with low income levels face challenges in affording their medications prescribed by their physicians and inability to do so makes their health worse.

The high rates and branded sale of medicines are also one of the factors that people cannot afford it. The medicines are now-a-days generated and manufactured to produce high profits for the companies leading to increased cost and this affects the ability of low income groups to afford it.

2. Use of substitute medicines can be done to enable the individual to afford expensive medicines, substitute medicines are the drugs with different composition but same pharmacological effects as the prescribed drugs and these are available at cheaper rates.

Generic medicines is another way to alternate the expensive medicine and make it affordable for the individual. Generic drugs are copies of branded drugs that has same dosage, composition and effects but are available at cheaper rates.

3. There are certain supportive agencies or personnel that helps patient afford their medicine and healthcare. Medicare prescription drug coverage is the plan provided by the US government to ensure that the individual with low incomes can afford their medicines. This program covers both branded and generic drugs.

Prescription assistance is another program run by drug companies, doctors and professionals to ensure that low-income group or uninsured patients can get free of cost or cheaper rates branded or generic medications for their use.