As patients age, the number of prescriptions they are on increases. People approaching Medicare eligibility use an average 13 drugs, while those between ages 65 and 79 are on an average of 20.
President Trump assured American viewers during last night’s State of the Union address that one of his top priorities in 2018 will be to lower the prices of prescription drugs. Prescription drugs represent the third largest component of U.S. national health expenditures, trailing behind hospital and physician services.
Fortunately, direct primary care (DPC) patients are benefiting from lower drug prices, since many DPC physicians are dispensing medications slightly above wholesale cost. In an interview with one direct care patient, she tells me that her husband is able to refill a 30-day prescription for Parkinson’s disease for 80 percent less than what Medicare charges. Here’s an excerpt from my policy report on how DPC benefits those with multiple chronic conditions.
