PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS AS A REASON FOR CHANGING PHYSICIANS

Citation
Fa. Lederle et Cm. Parenti, PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS AS A REASON FOR CHANGING PHYSICIANS, Journal of general internal medicine, 9(3), 1994, pp. 162-163
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
ISSN journal
08848734
Volume
9
Issue
3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
162 - 163
Database
ISI
SICI code
0884-8734(1994)9:3<162:PDCAAR>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
The authors conducted a telephone survey of 200 patients who had recen tly transferred their health care to a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical c enter. of the study patients, 56% considered prescription drug costs t o be the main reason or a major contributing reason for transfer (95% confidence interval 49% to 63%). The mean out-of-pocket prescription d rug cost for these patients was $139 per month, compared with $47 per month for patients for whom drug costs were a minor reason or not a re ason at all (p < 0.001). Drug costs are a principal reason for patient s to transfer their health care to the VA.