The US prescription drug market remains one of healthcare’s most frustrating contradictions: highly digitised in theory, yet stubbornly opaque where it matters most—price. A new Surescripts report, conducted by The Harris Poll, puts hard numbers on the human impact of this opacity, revealing a system that routinely pushes patients away from the medicines they need.
Surveying more than 1,000 US adults, the study found that 56% of patients experience challenges when filling a prescription. More starkly, 25% reported abandoning medication altogether because of cost. For a system built around clinical optimisation, the pharmacy counter has become a breaking point.
“The traditional healthcare models fail people every day,” said Frank Harvey, CEO of Surescripts. “Not because they make bad choices, but because the system gives them no chance to make the right ones.”
At the heart of the issue is “sticker shock.” While 76% of respondents describe themselves as being in good health, nearly half manage at least one chronic condition—making consistent access to medication non-negotiable. Yet 48% of patients say they don’t know where to find trustworthy pricing information, leaving them unable to plan or compare costs before committing to a prescription.
The consequences are clinical as well as financial. One in five patients admitted to splitting pills to stretch prescriptions further, a risky practice that undermines treatment effectiveness. As Harvey notes, “With more patients than ever relying on expensive medications… the need for patients to have accurate prescription cost information at the point of prescribing has never been greater.”
Despite widespread frustration, trust in clinicians remains strong. The survey reveals that 84% of patients would value digital medication tools if recommended or managed by their provider. Yet only 26% currently discuss drug costs during clinical visits, leaving affordability disconnected from prescribing decisions. When cost is excluded from the conversation, adherence often collapses downstream at the pharmacy.
Surescripts is positioning itself to address this gap with the launch of Script Corner, a mobile-friendly web application designed to show patients their true out-of-pocket costs. The tool compares insurance copays with cash discount programmes, such as GoodRx, aiming to replace fragmented pricing guesswork with clear, actionable choices.
Cost is not the only barrier. Administrative friction remains pervasive, with 29% of patients reporting prescription delays due to prior authorisation—rising to 36% among those on multiple medications. Alarmingly, 13% said these delays worsened their health. In an increasingly digital system, fax-driven approvals remain a costly anachronism.
Together, the findings point to a clear conclusion: transparency, not technology alone, is now the limiting factor in medication access.
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