Is Non-adherence a Non-option?

• We think so … and we’ve found others who agree
• We’ve also released LOTS of tools to help

At ScriptSave WellRx, we’ve lost count of the number of studies and surveys presented that show just how close the relationship is between high out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and the rate of prescription abandonment or non-adherence.

It’s one of the core reasons we do what we do – to fill gaps in prescription coverage, in an effort to make medications more affordable to those who struggle in the face of high deductibles, copays and out-of-pocket costs.

Rather than rehashing another set of adherence survey results (if you’re reading this, you probably understand adherence all too well), we have decided to share some first-hand insights to the importance of medication adherence (and some of the related struggles) from a handful of everyday patients.

Adherence matters, and these patients agree. You can read for yourselves the accounts of these patient advocates, as they tell their own stories, in their own words, about why prescription adherence it so vital.

THEN, once you’ve heard these first-hand accounts, we’ve included details of some free tools that we provide to help patients stay adherent. The ScriptSave WellRx program is so much more than just another prescription savings card. Our members are given access (at NO COST) to many adherence-based tools in addition to our fast, easy, free price-check tool. More details below.

Behavioral Health

The first account is from Gabe Howard. Gabe is an advocate for mental health issues and he lives with bipolar and anxiety disorders. As he will attest, life without his psychiatric medications can lead down some pretty dark roads. Read more at …

“Is High Cost Preventing Access to Psychiatric Medication?” – click here

(…and Gabe also posted a short video on this topic via his Facebook feed. You can watch it here – it’s less than 2mins)

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)

Next up is Barby Ingle. Barbie is a minor celebrity in her own right, but she also deals with chronic pain. Read her take on the idea of non-adherence at …

“Free Programs That Help Pay for Prescription Drugs” – click here

Living with Lupus

Then we have Charlotta Norgaard. Charlotta’s daily struggle includes her fight with Lupus, which led her to set up the Lupus Friends & Family Foundation. Read what she has to say about the mere suggestion of non-adherence in here world…

“Prescription Adherence – and why it matters” – click here

Migraine Sufferer

Finally, there’s Sarah Hackley. Sarah’s insights into the topic of non-adherence will give an idea as to what it’s like to be a prisoner of migraines when the budget doesn’t quite stretch far enough to pick up a new prescription for a non-covered drug. Read about her struggles in …

“Affording Prescriptions When You’re Chronically Ill” – click here

Tools to Help with Medication Adherence

It’s a simple fact: drugs don’t work in patients who don’t take them. The causes of non-adherence, when a patient either accidentally or knowingly does not take medications as prescribed, can be complex. As we’ve already addressed in this blog post, non-adherence is often the result of cost; patients who simply can’t afford their medications. However, good habits and a good understanding of the medication can also be a big part of adherence.

With this in mind, we created the Medicine Chest. Registered ScriptSave WellRx members have free access to a complete suite of tools and resources, including:

• Ask a Pharmacist
• Pill Reminders
• Refill Reminders
• Medication Info (in both English and Spanish)
• Medication Videos
• Mood-tracking (to review side effects, etc.)
• Price-check and Pharmacy Locator

Plus, registered members can connect directly to their pharmacies, like CVS or Walgreen’s, to automatically import their existing prescription information!

We hope these first-hand accounts on the importance of medication adherence have helped. Download our free app from the iOS app store or the Google Play Store, and get registered to take advantage of our free medication adherence tools. If you’re struggling to afford your medications, visit www.WellRx.com to compare the cash price at pharmacies near you. You may find prices lower than your insurance co-pay!