Insurance covers it, except when it doesn’t.

Answer: $51 billion - an average of $14.89 per prescription

Questions:

• How do rising prescription costs impact individuals’ ability to afford healthcare?
• How can individuals budget for unexpected out-of-pocket medical expenses?
• Do you think insurance plans should cover more of the cost of prescriptions? Why or why not?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the Numbers (GoodRX):

Policymakers and pharmaceutical manufacturers are making efforts to improve medication access and affordability, but costs continue to be a significant burden for many. 

• 3.4 billion
  Prescriptions filled this year to date.
• $51 billion
  Total out-of-pocket spent on prescriptions.
• $14.89
  Average out-of-pocket spent per prescription.
  -1.6% since August 2024

About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.