Skipping your meds
can be expensive

Use medication reminders and 90-day prescriptions to stay on schedule

According to the National Council on Patient Information and Education, “the lack of medication adherence is America’s other drug problem.” Medication adherence means taking your medication as prescribed by your doctor — the right dosage, the right number of times a day and for the right amount of time.

The risks of skipping meds

If you’ve missed doses of your medications, you are not alone. One study found that up to 50% of Americans have trouble taking their medicine as directed.¹ Not taking your medication as instructed can have a negative impact on your health, including delayed healing and other complications. But did you know that missing doses can increase your healthcare costs? ^2,3

When you miss doses, you may not receive the full health benefits of your medication. This can lead to more trips to the doctor, more bloodwork, or more medication. It may be easier to forget to take your medication if your chronic condition does not have clear physical symptoms, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Even though you may feel okay, if you miss a dose, your condition may be getting worse and can lead to complications if missed doses happen too often. Whether it’s a hospital stay, additional lab work, or additional medication, when you don’t follow prescription instructions, your out-of-pocket costs can add up.

6 tips to stay on track

When taking your medications becomes a routine part of your day, you’re less likely to miss doses. Here are some tips to help make sure you take your medication correctly.

1. Choose a daily habit that you never miss, like brushing your teeth or watching the news, and start taking your medication at the same time.
   
   
2. Pick up a pill organizer with AM and PM compartments and schedule time every Sunday to organize your pills for the week.
   
   
3. Set a recurring alarm on your phone and a daily appointment on your calendar, so you get reminders, no matter which device you’re currently focused on.
   
   
4. Tell a friend or family member that you’re working on never missing a dose and invite them to check in with you and ask how your goal is going.
   
   
5. Sign up for 90-day prescriptions so you’re less likely to run out of your medication.
   
   
6. Sign up for your pharmacy’s automatic refill service to ensure your prescription is always ready for you when you need it.

You have options

There are many reasons why someone might not take their medication. If you’ve missed doses because you couldn’t afford to refill the prescription, you experienced uncomfortable side effects, or it was hard to keep track of multiple doses a day because of a busy schedule, there may be alternatives that will work better for you. Talk to your doctor, your pharmacist, or the Moda Health Pharmacy Customer Services team. The Customer Service phone number is listed on the back of our Member ID card.

1.CNEHI (New England Health Care Institute) 2009. Aug 12, [cited 2011 Nov 4]. Thinking outside the pillbox: a system-wide approach to improving patient medication adherence for chronic disease.

2. Sabaté E. Adherence to long-term therapies: evidence for action. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2003.

3.  DiMatteo MR, Giordani PJ, Lepper HS, et al. Patient adherence and medical treatment outcomes: a meta-analysis. Med Care. 2002;40(9):794-811.