Recognizing Prescription Medication Access Challenges

The USA is arguably one of the richest countries in the world. Yet, many cannot afford proper medical care. Prescription medication access is limited. Many have to choose between the high cost of their prescription medication and other basic necessities like food or rent. According to academic researchers, 66.5% of all bankruptcies in the USA are tied to the cost of medical challenges.

The cost of medical care in the USA is one of the highest in the world. We pay more for prescription drugs than any other country in the world. And, finding treatments for rare diseases is difficult. The US pharmaceutical industry earns billions in profits each year. But they are not willing to develop or manufacture a drug for a rare disease because it is not cost-effective without enough patients.

Medical Tourism Is Growing

Prescription prices are often much lower for the same medication in other countries. In fact, residents in some countries pay nothing for their prescriptions. This created a growing trend for medical tourism. Even President Joe Biden acknowledged that you could go “anywhere else in the world” and get a prescription filled for 40% to 60% less than what it costs in the U.S.

One of AstraZeneca’s inhalers costs $645 in the USA but just $49 in the U.K. The cancer drug, Gleevec, costs $6,214 per month per customer in the United States but $1,141 in Canada. Humira, for rheumatoid arthritis, is $2,246 in the United States but only $881 in Switzerhand. Otsuka manufactures the antipsychotic drug, Abilify, in Japan. It costs $34.51 per pill in the US and $4.65 in Canada. AstraZeneca manufactures Nexium in Sweden and sells one 40 mg pill in the USA for $7.78 each. In India and Turkey, the same pill costs less than 37 cents.

An RPCV wandering Ecuador started experiencing headaches and other symptoms. The homestay host directed them to the pharmacy, not a doctor. The pharmacist was very familiar with these symptoms from tourists. RPCV paid $4 for the altitude sickness pills. They started feeling better by the end of the day. How much would that have cost in the USA?

International Medication Access Challenges

But it is a risk to buy prescription medication internationally. The ingredients may not be the same. The efficacy may be different. In 2017, the World Health Organization estimated that 10% of drugs in developing countries were either substandard or falsified.

Additionally, what you get even be deadly. There are pharmacies in other countries that specifically cater to travelers from U.S. looking for low-cost pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, some of the ones in northern Mexico sold pills laced with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine to US medical tourists.

Also, some medications are designated controlled substances. Therefore, you may not be able to leave that country with them. Or, you may not be able to bring those into the USA. Border crossing agents or airport customs will confiscate controlled substances. You could even get arrested. So, learn the rules before you go.

RPCV Medication Access Challenges

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) do not automatically get medical care after our Peace Corps service like military veterans do. PCVs who COS with medical situations have to file a claim. The government could accept or reject the claim.

This is why it is important to collect your Peace Corps medical records. Review and correct them, if needed, before you COS. These records prove the post-service medical care you need.

We have heard from some RPCVs who moved back to their host countries or other countries overseas for cheaper or free medical care. We even heard from RPCVs who joined the military after service to cover their medical needs. And unfortunately, some RPCVs in the USA went into medical bankruptcy or worse from their medical situations.

RPCV-HC Resource Library Identifies Prescription Medication Savings Options

RPCV Health Crusade recognizes the challenges of medical care. We wanted to find options for free or low-cost options and information to share with the RPCV community. This is how the RPCV-HC Resource Library started.

And, that resource library has grown by leaps and bounds. We built a dedicated section on different ways for free or discounted prescription medication in the USA. However, we plan to add even more options to ease the challenges to medication access.

Do you have any suggestions on how to save $ on prescription medication? Have you found any helpful resources? Let’s work together and share what we know!