• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • News and Events
  • Areas We Serve
    • Essex County, MA
      • Andover
      • Beverly
      • North Andover
    • Hillsborough County, NH
      • Manchester
      • Nashua
    • Middlesex County, MA
      • Concord
      • Lexington
      • Wakefield
      • Winchester
      • Woburn
    • Rockingham County, NH
      • Exeter
      • Londonderry
      • Salem
  • Services
    • Asset & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning Services
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Loss Of A Loved One
    • Pet Planning
    • Power Of Attorney
    • Probate and Trust Administration
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Young Families
  • Elder Law
    • Coping with Alzheimer’s
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Nursing Home Planning
  • Resources
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
      • Elder law reports
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Elder Law Resources – Londonderry, New Hampshire
        • Elder Law Resources North Andover, Massachusetts
        • Nashua, New Hampshire Elder Law Resources
        • Woburn, MA Elder Law Resources
    • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning Articles
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection Planning
      • Business Planning
      • Charitable Gifting
      • Estate Planning
      • Elder Law
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills and Trusts
    • Medicaid Calculator
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Probate and Trust Administration
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss Of A Loved One
      • Probate Resources
        • Nashua, New Hampshire Probate Resources
        • Probate Resources – Londonderry, New Hampshire
        • Probate Resources – North Andover, MA
        • Probate Resources – Wakefield, Massachusetts
        • Woburn, MA Probate Resources
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
    • Published Books
  • Seminars
    • Live Seminars
    • Online Seminars
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us

DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC

Serving Southern New Hampshire & Essex Country, Massachussetts

Call us today(603) 894-4141

(978) 969-0331

Online Seminars
Attend Free Seminar
Home » Elder Law » Medicaid Planning » Are Our Elderly Skipping Medications?

Are Our Elderly Skipping Medications?

April 14, 2015Medicaid Planning

capture-20150408-162923

A full ten percent of Americans say they cannot afford to take the medications prescribed to them because of rising costs. Many will take less than instructed in order to “stretch” out the prescription or simply delay buying the medicine. Others don’t even consider the possibility of buying it later when they know they won’t have an additional $300 lying around. This is a dangerous trend, especially for our elderly.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • 15% of American adults have requested from their doctors a lower cost alternative.
  • 2% have bought drugs in another country, especially in those countries where drugs may not be closely regulated.
  • 4% have tried “alternative therapies.

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) says that, “Not taking medications as prescribed can have serious consequences… People who do not take their medication as prescribed have more hospitalizations, emergency room visits and an increased burden of their illness.” This includes older Americans who are unsure of the resources, such as Medicaid and Medicare that are available to them. In fact, 4.5 percent of those older the age of 65 do not take their medications as prescribed in order to save money. Three percent of older Americans will delay having their prescriptions filled. To provide context: 7.8 percent of all adults do not take their medications as prescribed to save money – and as mentioned, 4.5 percent of them are over the age of 65.

Adults younger than 64, about 6 percent with private insurance skipped medications to save money, compared with 10.4 percent of those with Medicaid and 14 percent of uninsured patients. Those who live in poverty or are considered low income are also at high risk of not taking their medicines as prescribed. Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University prevention Research Center explains, “Poor adherence to prescribed medication use is a significant problem with potentially serious consequences.” He goes on to say that it makes sense for public and private insurers to remove all barriers to access and, if anything, add incentives for those in need of these important medicines. “Failure to use an important medication portends complications, a bad outcome and higher costs,” Katz said.

Medicaid and Medicare Guidance

There are recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including ways for people, and especially seniors and the elderly, to save money on their prescription drugs:

  • As your doctor if generic or other lower-cost medications are available
  • Compare and choose an insurance plan that offers additional drug coverage
  • Consider drug assistance plans offered by pharmacies and states
  • If you haven’t applied yet for Medicaid, Medicare and/or Social Security, you should as it can help reduce costs.
  • Consider checking into community-based charities for additional assistance with medication costs

And of course, our team of elder law attorneys welcome the opportunity to provide legal direction for you or your loved one. Contact DeBruyckere Law Offices today to learn more about the role of Medicaid and Medicare in your overall health and what options you may have.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Daniel DeBruyckere
Daniel DeBruyckere
Attorney Daniel A. DeBruyckere has been practicing law in New Hampshire and Massachusetts since 1998, and has helped hundreds of clients with their estate planning and elder care issues. He is very well respected in the area of estate planning, probate, trust administration, elder law issues, and business planning.
Daniel DeBruyckere
Latest posts by Daniel DeBruyckere (see all)
  • Do I Need an Attorney to Administer a Trust? - January 26, 2023
  • How Using a Trust Can Protect a Valuable Inheritance - January 24, 2023
  • What Seniors Need to Know to Protect Assets - January 19, 2023

Other Articles You May Find Useful

North Andover area Medicaid planning attorney
Spousal Impoverishment Guidelines for 2020
DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC | Estate Planning & Medicaid Attorneys
Top 5 Nashua Medicaid Planning Mistakes
Medicaid planning attorney
When Is It Too Late to Consult with a Medicaid Planning Attorney?
Nursing Home Costs in New Hampshire
Can I Get Help with Nursing Home Costs in New Hampshire?
DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC | Estate Planning & Medicaid Attorneys
Understanding Medicare and Medicaid Dual Eligibility
DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC | Estate Planning & Medicaid Attorneys
Medicaid Supplemental Programs

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Blog Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Testimonials

DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC footer

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
footer-logo

© 2023 DeBruyckere Law Offices
All Right Reseved.

Attorney Advertisement

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.