Studies: Low Copays Improve Prescription Drug Adherence

Patients in health plans that require them to pay little to nothing out-of-pocket for their prescriptions are more likely to adhere to medication regimens, according to a pair of studies on value-based insurance design published in the current issue of Health Affairs. Researchers in the first study looked at how Pitney Bowes' decision to eliminate copayments for anti-cholesterol statins raised employee adherence to the drugs by 2.8%. In the second study, researchers found that reducing copays for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina members increased their adherence to certain treatments by between 1.5% and 3.8%.

• "Studies: Lower Copays Help Keep Patients on Their Meds" (Pecquet, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 11/2).