One-Third of Seniors Over-Medicated
The Affordable Care Act eliminated the donut hole in Medicare Part D drug plans by 2019 – making it easier for seniors to afford needed medications. However, recent research suggests that seniors take too many drugs; not too few:
- Up to one-third of seniors may be over-medicated.
- One-in-five of seniors’ hospital admissions are due to adverse drug reactions.
- The cost of over-medicated seniors surpasses $80 billion annually.
I’ve also read that a lot of seniors don’t get the drugs they need. So it’s hard to know how to sort all this out.
Nancy, the left never wants to talk about people getting too much medical care. Thye are always focused on people getting too little.
I think Ken is right.
Ken,
It not a matter of too many drugs verse too little. That is up to the skill and honesty of the doctor.
It is about the cost of the drugs given under the advice of that doctor that matters.
Also, please remember Part D was a republican unfunded mandate and that’s why there is a gap in coverage.
Seniors probably take drugs when lifestyle changes would be more appropriate. Sometimes I wonder if there just isn’t a perception that the more drugs you take the better care you are receiving.
“Thye are always focused on people getting too little.”
Nope. Read Gawande, Atul. Overutilization is a frequent topic on the left. Not so much on the right as far as I can tell.
Steve