Getting Out Of Reach

Part I of Essay
Prescription drug prices are rising much faster than the rate of general consumer inflation. The most heavily affected are those who can least afford it, like older Americans living on fixed incomes, and the working poor with inadequate or no health insurance. The rise in ....

Part II of Essay
.... While this man’s household income is fixed, the cost of his medication just keeps going up. Most Americans do not feel the increase in drug prices directly because they purchase prescription medicines through their employee health plans or their HMOs, where they do not pay the full price, often making only a $10 or $20 co-payments. The rise in drug prices does hit this group indirectly. Many health insures have blamed higher drug cost as the reason behind hikes in medical premiums or restriction of benefits. One reason why retail prices are ....