If it feels like paying for prescriptions has become a luxury, you’re not imagining things.
A new report from West Health and Gallup found that more than one-third of Americans—91 million people—say they can’t afford quality health care right now. Even more staggering? 11% of Americans (nearly 29 million people) are considered “cost desperate,” meaning they can’t afford either health care or prescriptions.
This is more than a financial crisis. It’s a public health emergency.
Low-income, Black, and Hispanic communities are bearing the brunt of these cost burdens. According to the survey:
- 64% of people earning under $24,000 can’t afford care.
- 52% of Hispanic Americans and 46% of Black Americans say the same.
Health care cost security has dropped across the board, especially among vulnerable populations. These numbers aren’t just sad statistics, they represent people who are skipping essential medications, delaying treatments, and choosing between a trip to the doctor or paying the electric bill.
At RazorMetrics, we believe no one should have to make that kind of choice.
The Quiet Fix: Smarter Prescribing, Lower Costs
Pharmacy costs are one of the most painful—and most fixable—parts of this affordability crisis. Brand-name drugs are often prescribed when equally effective, lower-cost alternatives exist. But most solutions to rein in pharmacy spending rely on point-of-care tools that frustrate physicians and disrupt workflow.
RazorMetrics takes a different approach.
We operate within physicians’ workflows, identifying lower-cost drug options and reaching out to prescribers with switch opportunities. Our method is simple, effective, and—most importantly—physician-driven. There are no extra clicks, no workflow interruptions, and no pressure.
If the prescriber approves the switch, then we contact the member. If not, we don’t.
That respect for the physician-patient relationship is why we see consistently high prescriber engagement rates, averaging 75%, and we achieve meaningful cost savings for both members and plan sponsors.
Closing the Gap, One Prescription at a Time
RazorMetrics helps reduce pharmacy spend without putting the burden on patients. That’s critical in a moment when millions of Americans are already financially maxed out. And while policy action is necessary at the state and federal level, plan sponsors don’t have to wait for Congress to make a difference.
They can start today—by eliminating unnecessary drug costs through a clinically sound, physician-centered solution. We can’t fix the entire health care system. But we can remove one major barrier: unaffordable prescriptions. And in times like these, that matters.
