Issue Brief 4: Out-of-Pocket Drug Costs Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Although Medicare drug plans have increased access to needed medications and reduced cost burdens for older adults overall, considerable research demonstrates that OOP costs for prescription medications remain a serious problem for large number of Medicare beneficiaries despite their prescription drug coverage.

This Issue Brief examines the intersection of chronic illness and OOP drug costs among Medicare beneficiaries, and trends that are driving increases in these costs over time.