About four out of 10 adults delayed care or failed to follow prescriptions to save money last year, a new Consumer Reports survey found. Respondents were most likely to not comply with prescriptions; 28% said they did so to cut spending. To save money, respondents reported they did not fill prescriptions; skipped a dose; cut pills in half; took expired drugs or shared medication to cut spending. Twenty-three percent put off a doctor’s visit to curb expenses, while 18% delayed a medical procedure and 17% refused a test.
On average, those who regularly take medication—about 44% of respondents—spent $66 out-of-pocket per month on prescriptions and had about four drugs. The telephone survey, conducted during five days in mid-January, included a representative sample of roughly 2,000 households with a margin of error of 3.4%.
