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At that rate, seniors will need plenty
of advice on managing medication use under a Medicare prescription drug
benefit.
The study conducted for RxHealthValue by Brandeis University examined drug
usage and costs using prescription claims data provided by AdvancePCS, one
of the nation's largest pharmacy benefits managers. The data represent drugs
dispensed to more than 1 million people continually enrolled in an insurance
program over a 3-year period.
| More than 12% of Americans
over age 65 are consuming eight or more different drugs, up from 8% just
3 years ago. |
Seniors are also spending significantly
more per person than younger Americans.
Per capita drug expenditures for people under 65 are increasing at an annual
rate of 15.6%--almost three percentage points lower than the rate of
increase for the over-65 crowd.
Congressional Briefing by RxHealthValue Coalition July 30, 2001
Dr. Farr's Comment:
This is an excellent example of how the pharmaceutical industry has targed
senior citizens to increase drug usage. The only problem is is that their
health is not improving as a result. The population is alive far longer, but
this is primarily done by ignoring the true causes of disease and
substituting expensive band-aids that keep us unnecessarily dependent on the
drug companies.
The average elderly American is spending more than $100 per month on drugs.
This is a rip-off. If people were truly educated about their body and took
responsibility in caring for the body through proper chiropractic care,
nutrition and life style changes, we wouldn't see this situation.
It has been my experience that most people are looking for a "quick fix" and
as long as their symptoms are eraditcated, that's what they want. This is a
long way from what true health really is.
The solution? GET EDUCATED about your body, how it functions; get educated
on proper diet and eating habits; repair what's wrong with any organ or
system, communicate with a doctor or trained professional and off the drug
bandwagon.
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