Demand for and Occurrence of Medication Cost Conversations: A Narrative Review. (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Everson, Jordan; Henderson, Sarah C.; Cheng, Audrey; Senft, Nicole; Whitmore, Christine; Dusetzina, Stacie B.
• Is Part Of: Medical care research and review. Volume 80:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 16
• Page End: 29
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: mediation -- financial burden -- clinical encounter -- shared decision making; Medical care -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- Periodicals; Medical economics -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical economics -- Periodicals; 362.10973
• DOI: 10.1177/10775587221108042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-5587

Abstract

High medication prices can create a financial burden for patients and reduce medication initiation. To improve decision making, public policy is supporting development of tools to provide real-time prescription drug prices. We reviewed the literature on medication cost conversations to characterize the context in which these tools may be used. Our review included 42 articles: a median of 84% of patients across four clinical specialties reported a desire for cost conversations ( n = 7 articles) but only 23% reported having held a cost conversation across six specialties ( n = 16 articles). Non-White and older patients were less likely to report having held a cost conversation than White and younger patients in 9 of 13 and 5 of 9 articles, respectively, examining these associations. Our review indicates that tools providing price information may not result in improved decision making without complementary interventions that increase the frequency of cost conversations with a focus on protected groups.