ICYMI: One Third of Uninsured Americans Can’t Afford Their Medications, Study Finds

Despite His Claims, Secretary Azar Isn’t Doing Enough to Lower Drug Prices

Washington– The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found that in order to cut costs, one third of uninsured Americans don’t take medication as prescribed by their doctors. The report comes after Restore Public Trust has highlighted Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar’s history working for the pharmaceutical industry.

“Despite his promises, Secretary Azar isn’t doing enough to lower drug prices,” said Lizzy Price, spokesperson for Restore Public Trust. “This news is no surprise, given that the person in charge of making choices that affect Americans’ healthcare is a former pharmaceutical executive. Under his tenure at HHS, his big pharma pals are still profiting as Americans suffer from exorbitantly high drug prices.”

The CDC report found that:

  • Uninsured adults are “more likely to strategize to reduce prescription drug costs” compared to adults with private insurance or Medicaid;
  • 39.5% of uninsured adults in the report asked their doctor for a lower-cost medication;
  • 33.6% percent of uninsured adults in the report didn’t take their medication as prescribed in an attempt to reduce drug cost;
  • 13.9% of uninsured adults in the report percent used alternative therapies as a strategy to reduce drug cost.  

Restore Public Trust recently released a report that found that when Secretary Azar was a top executive at Eli Lilly the company repeatedly raised its drug prices. RPT subsequently launched a digital ad highlighting Secretary Azar’s history as a pharmaceutical insider.

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Alex Azar

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