Public Opinion On Prescription Drugs And Their Prices

1. Public opinion on prescription drugs and
their prices
Poll findings from 2015-2019 KFF Health Tracking Polls

2. SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted November 7-12, 2019)
59%
About 6 in 10
Americans report
currently taking at
least one
prescription
medicine

3. 11%12%
8%
27%
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted November 7-12, 2019)
1 in 4 Americans say they take four or more
prescription drugs
+

4. 79%
74%
say the cost of prescription drugs is
unreasonable…
…but among those currently
taking prescription drugs…
say affording them is easy.
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Polls (February 14-24, 2019)

5. 35%
62%
17%
83%
Difficult to afford prescription medicine Easy to afford prescription medicine
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (February 14-24, 2019)
For many, more prescriptions mean more problems
with cost
Among those taking 4
or more prescription
drugs
Among those taking
1-3 prescription drugs
+
-

6. Who Has Difficulty Affording Their Prescription Drugs?
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
Percent who say it is difficult to afford the cost of their prescription medicine:
24%
17%
35%
17%
58%
21%
30%
23%
9%
21%
49%
35%
21%
11%
Total
Taking 1-3 prescription drugs
Taking 4 or more prescription drugs
Spending less than $100 per month on Rx
Spending $100 or more per month on Rx
18-49 years old
50-64 years old
65 and older
Excellent/Very good health
Good health
Only fair/Poor health
Less than $40,000
$40,000-$89,999
$90,000 or more

7. Three In Ten Say They Haven’t Taken Their Medicine As
Prescribed Due To Costs
Not filled a
prescription for a
medicine
Cut pills in half
or skipped
doses
Taken over-the-counter
drug instead
Percent who did not take
prescription medicine as
directed because of the cost
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
Percent who say they have done the following in the past 12 months because of the cost:
19%
18%
12%
29%

8. 76%
72%
69%
66%
52%
36%
30%
28%
17%
5%
2%
Large businesses
Pharmaceutical companies
Wall Street
Health insurance companies
NRA
Hospital groups
Doctors groups
Labor unions
AARP
Small businesses
People like them
Pharmaceutical Companies among top of public’s list of
having too much influence in D.C.
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted March 8-13, 2018)
Percent who say that each of the following have too much influence in Washington:

9. SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
59% of the public says
that prescription drugs
developed over the past
20 years have made the
lives of people in the U.S.
better

10. SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
80%
Americans cite other major contributors to prescription drugs, such as…
say profits made by Rx companies is a major factor
contributing to price of prescription drugs.
Cost of research and development (69%)
Profits made by PBMs, companies that manage prescription
drug benefits (63%)
Cost of marketing and advertising (52%)

11. Who do Americans trust to lower prescription drug costs?
…depends on who you ask
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted October 3-8, 2019)
Among Democrats Among Independents Among Republicans
47% 28%
17%
8%
Democratic Party Republican Party Neither Don't know/Refused
91%
3%
4%
2% 8%
75%
11%5%

12. 75%
65%
80%
79%
Total
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
77%
92%
83%
56%
But Most Say Democrats and Republicans in Congress Are
Not Doing Enough To Lower Rx Drug Costs
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted November 7-12, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Percent who say … to bring down the cost of prescription drugs:
…Democrats in Congress are not
doing enough…
…Republicans in Congress are not
doing enough…

13. Most Americans favor several actions to lower drug costs
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Polls (conducted February 14-24 and October 3-8, 2019)
Percent who favor each of the following actions that would keep prescription drug costs down:
88%
88%
88%
85%
81%
78%
76%
72%
63%
62%
57%
53%
25%
Requiring drug companies to include list prices in ads
Making it easier for generic drugs to come to market
Allowing the gov't to negotiate with drug companies to get a lower price for
people with Medicare (Oct. 2019)
Allowing the gov't to negotiate with drug companies to get a lower price on Rx
drugs that would apply to both Medicare and private insurance (Oct. 2019)
Placing an annual limit on out-of-pocket drug costs for people with Medicare
(Oct. 2019)
Allowing Americans to buy drugs imported from Canada (Oct. 2019)
Allowing Medicare to place limits on how much drug companies can increase the
price of drugs based on annual inflation rates (Oct. 2019)
Increasing taxes on drug companies that refuse to negoitiate the price of Rx
drugs with the gov't (Oct 2019)
Increasing taxes on drug companies whose prices are too high
Lowering what Medicare pays based on amounts in other countries (Oct. 2019)
Ending the tax break given to drug companies for their advertising spending
Allowing Medicare plans to put more restrictions on use of certain drugs
Allowing Medicare drug plans to exclude more drugs

14. SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
88%
Oppose
9%
Don't know/Refused
2%
favor the federal
government requiring
Rx drug ads to include
the list price of the drug
About Nine in Ten Americans Favor Drug Price
Transparency in Advertisements

15. Among the 14% of the public who have talked to their
doctor after seeing/hearing an Rx drug ad…
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted June 11-20, 2018)
Percent who say their doctor did each of the following:
Gave them the Rx drug they
asked about
Recommended a different Rx
drug
Recommended changes in
behavior/lifestyle
Discussed the cost of the
Rx drug
Recommended an over-the-
counter drug
55%
54%
54%
48%
41%

16. 68%
39%
33%
76%
35%
29%
…will make medicines more
affordable without sacrificing
safety or quality
…will expose Americans to
unsafe medicines from other
countries
…will lead U.S. drug
companies to do less
research and development
Large majority agree importing Canadian Rx drugs would
make medicines more affordable
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted April 17-23, 2017)
Percent who agree… …allowing Americans to buy
prescription drugs imported
from Canada…
…allowing Americans to buy
prescription drugs from online
pharmacies based in Canada…

17. What would do a better job keeping prescription drug
prices down?
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
50%
35%
51%
71%
41%
56%
39%
24%
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
The public has a slight preference
for market competition over government regulation…
…but views vary by party

18. 63% of Americans think there is not as much regulation
as there should be when it comes to limiting the price of
prescription drugs.
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted February 14-24, 2019)
That’s 72% of Democrats
and 53% of Republicans
62% of independents