Increased Medicaid Copayments Harm Cancer Patients' Prescription Drug Compliant

Cancer patients facing higher Medicaid copayments are less likely to comply with their prescription drug treatments, a new study by researchers at RTI International found. The study, published in Medical Care, showed that patients in states with increased copayments for prescription drugs decreased their prescription drug use by between 127 and 150 days supply compared to states without increased copayments. Those with multiple chronic conditions experienced the largest decline in prescription drug use. Notably, patients facing increased copayments also required more emergency room visits, which researchers attributed to non-compliance with prescription protocols.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that patients in states with increased copayments for prescription drugs decreased their prescription drug use by between 127 and 150 days supply compared to states without increased copayments.
• Those with multiple chronic conditions experienced the largest decline in prescription drug use.
• Patients facing increased copayments required more emergency room visits, likely due to non-compliance with prescription protocols.
• The study concluded that the total six-month Medicaid costs were more than $2,000 higher per patient in states with increased copayments than in states without them.
• The study's author, Sujha Subramanian, Ph.D., senior health economist at RTI, argued that copayments should not be used to contain cost increases for cancer patients.
• The researchers used Medicaid administrative data linked with cancer registry data from Georgia, Texas, and South Carolina for the years 1999-2004.
• Even relatively small copayments for prescription medications significantly impacted prescription drug use among Medicaid beneficiaries.
• The study suggested that the Medicaid program could benefit from introducing disease management programs and patient navigators to encourage appropriate care and reduce inappropriate prescription drug use.

Statistics:

• 127-150 days: Decrease in prescription drug use by patients in states with increased Medicaid copayments.
• $2,000+: Increase in total six-month Medicaid costs per patient in states with increased copayments compared to states without them.
• 3 or less: Copayment amount for prescription medication in Georgia, which led to significant decrease in prescription drug use.

Sources:

• RTI International news release, May 24 (no specific publication date mentioned)
• Medical Care study, published May 13 (no specific year mentioned)
• Sujha Subramanian, Ph.D.