Medication compliance reduces health costs, data show

A new study, conducted by the CVS Caremark Corp., found that patients who take medications as prescribed by their doctors may save the health care system as much as $7,800 per patient annually.

The company said that the study, which analyzed annual pharmacy and medical costs over a three-year period, revealed reductions in emergency department visits and in-patient hospital days from medication.

The annual per person savings for ill patients who adhered to medications, compared with those who don’t, amounted to $7,823 for those with congestive heart failure, $3,756 for a diabetes patient, $3,908 for hypertension and $1,258 for dyslipidemia or high cholesterol. For more on this topic, click here.

Why do you think patients who take their meds on time are saving the health care system so much money?