Several studies have found that as a patient’s out-of-pocket cost share rises, primary adherence — or the patient’s first prescription fill and use as prescribed — drops significantly. A 2025 GoodRx report revealed that 33% of Americans have left a prescription unfilled — most often due to cost. From the same report, we can see that in 2024, 37% of Americans reported taking action that could negatively impact their lifestyle or personal finances due to the financial burden at the pharmacy counter. And the strain is only increasing. In 2025, that number went up to 46%.
The study also shows:
- 29% cut spending on leisure activities
- 28% reduced spending on food or clothing
- 16% dipped into savings to cover the cost of treatment
- 9% sold personal belongings to help pay for medications
- 15% adjusted their or a family member’s employment, either by working more hours or taking on an additional job
The choice between staying adherent to therapy and sacrificing quality of life is an unfortunate truth for many patients. This is especially concerning when a patient’s adherence to therapy is crucial to their treatment outcomes, as it often is for specialty therapies. Pricing can also impact whether the patient opts to pursue their physician’s initial prescribed therapy — often best for their specific needs — or chooses a less expensive, alternate therapy that may not have the same health impact or meet the patient’s specific needs.
Healthcare Industry Trends Moving to Price Transparency
Further, the industry is moving to greater price transparency in healthcare coverage. Both drug price transparency and affordability have captured the attention of federal regulators and all stakeholders involved in ensuring patient success with prescribed specialty medications. This is evidenced by President Trump’s Executive Order, “Make America Healthy Again,” issued earlier in 2025, which intensifies federal enforcement of transparency regulations across healthcare.
Drug Price Transparency in Real Time Positively Impacts Prescription Fill Rates
With real-time prescription price transparency, healthcare providers can leverage visibility into drug cost at the point of care for specific patients and work with the patient to make informed decisions about prescribed therapies.
Patients empowered with knowledge of their expected financial responsibility at the point of prescription are more likely to fill their prescription and remain adherent.
How Healthcare Providers Can Access Drug Price Transparency
Healthcare providers can use real-time eCoverage tools within ePrescribing and eEnrollment platforms like iAssist to access full drug price transparency for all medications with a national drug code. iAssist, the most comprehensive therapy initiation tool for healthcare providers, allows users to pull pharmacy and medical benefit pricing and even eligibility and enrollment for life sciences organizations’ financial assistance programs for nearly any medication.
Specifically, iAssist users can access:
- Real-time comprehensive patient coverage
- Patient out-of-pocket cost
- Drug access restrictions (e.g., prior authorization required, step edit required)
- Coverage alerts (e.g., age limit, days or supply exceeded)
- Fill options for all therapies including cash options
Get Started With Your Free iAssist Account
There’s no cost to register and begin using iAssist’s suite of Advanced eServices. You can gain access to drug price transparency, make informed prescribing decisions and help improve your patients’ therapy adherence. See how this tool can impact your office by scheduling a demo.