Those who are reliant on prescription drugs to manage their chronic conditions can often accumulatemedical debt.

But there are far less risky workarounds.

Others who are financially vulnerable turn to advocacy organizations, sliding-scale health centers orpatient assistance plans.

After she had a life-threatening asthma attack, her doctors said the best treatment was an adult-only prescription.

For months, she was stuck relying on her doctor’s samples to keep her symptoms at bay.

Not having access to her specialized drugs and treatment set her back.

Braun was constantly worried about ending up on a ventilator in the hospital without insurance coverage.

“I was pretty scared for my life,” she said.

In 2015, Whitehead’s doctor prescribed a new mood stabilizer, Abilify, but her insurance company balked.

But after six months taking it, she became suicidal.

In 2020, Whitehead’s doctor wanted to change her medication to Latuda, which required prior authorization.

Luckily, Whitehead’s husband had enough income to help her cover the cost.

Today, Whitehead pays around $200 a month for her 11 prescriptions under her husband’s insurance plan.

In 2016, Americans spent some$66 billiontotal for out-of-pocket retail prescription drugs.

Some patients never try negotiating with or appealing to their providers or insurance companies on costs.

Vulnerable consumers going up against the pharmaceutical behemoth is a David and Goliath fight, according to Isasi.

From 2000 to 2018, 35 pharmaceutical companies reported a combined$11.5 trillionin revenue.

Drug companiesset the price, regardless of how much it costs to make the medication.

“Why is it that a drug company can charge whatever they can get away with?”

Amultitudeof organizations focus exclusively on pushing common-sense reforms and achievingpolicy changesto lower the price of prescription drugs.

A recentstudy in the Annals of Internal Medicine, co-authored by Harvard Medical School fellowDr.

Uninsured and underinsured patients get the biggest benefit from using Cost Plus, Lalani said.

It’s a free, nonaffiliated information outlet, and visitors to the site are anonymous.

The organization also gets up to 6,000 calls a month to its toll-free hotline from patients seeking resources.

“Our ultimate goal is to go out of business for lack of need,” said Sagall.

“I don’t see that happening in the near future.”