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Unequal access: African-American Medicare beneficiaries and the prescription drug gap.

NO. 64 • JULY 2003 rescription drugs are an essential aspect of modern medical care, especially for older Americans. Since Medicare does not cover most outpatient prescription drugs, elderly Americans often have trouble affording the drugs they need to stay healthy and active. Nationwide, about one in 12 Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older reported they could not afford to fill at least one prescription in the previous year, according to HSC’s 2001 Community Tracking Study Household Survey (see Figure 1). Other research indicates many seniors also may skip doses to stretch prescriptions or go without other necessities to buy medications. African-American seniors clearly have more problems affording prescription medications. Almost one in six elderly black Medicare beneficiaries could not afford to fill at least one prescription in 2001, compared with one in 15 elderly whites. African Americans’ lower incomes, lack of supplemental insurance and greater prevalence of certain chronic conditions all contribute to the prescription drug access gap between older black and white Americans.