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Americans spend a lot on prescription drugs. What's behind the costs? And what can change?

MPR News host Kerri Miller talked with two experts on the high cost of drugs in the U.S.: 

, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and 

, director of Health Services Research at the AARP Public Policy Institute.

For the full conversation, use the audio player above.

Dr. Patel offered her perspective on the high cost of pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Kavita Patel: Why are drug prices so high and what can we do about it?

Paying for drugs is an incredibly frustrating experience for many Americans, with higher out of pocket costs compromising care in some cases since some patients sacrifice filling a prescription simply due to cost.

In 2013, per capita spending on prescription drugs was $858 compared with an average of $400 for 19 other industrialized nations. In the United States, prescription medications now comprise an estimated 17 precent of overall personal health care services, growing each year.

Drug prices are influenced by many things — research costs, etc. — as well as the premiums paid to various stakeholders in the distribution chain including wholesale distributors, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies and insurance plans. Some researchers have suggested that up to 41 percent of costs might actually be attributed to intermediaries. 

In the end, the cost and prices in large part have to do with what people are willing to pay for or "what the market will allow." Efforts to try and have the U.S. government directly negotiate with pharmaceutical companies have been met with political resistance and so have administrative efforts to try and control drug pricing.

1) Talk to your doctor about lower cost options, including using generic medications.

2) Shop around at different pharmacies to look for better prices. Different insurance companies might have preferences, and have arranged for different prices with certain pharmacies.

3) Look into mail order options as well. Sometimes mail order can be cheaper.

Pharmaceutical companies often offer assistance programs to qualified individuals. Many organizations help connect patients to such programs, including 

Patient Advocate Foundation's National Financial Resource Directory

Find a list of programs that work with Medicare Part D at 

Use the audio player above to hear the full segment.

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Why are drugs in the U.S. so expensive? Can anything be done to lower costs? Two experts weigh in on how much Americans are paying and what could change.

One of the many factors contributing to the rise in health care costs is the price of prescription drugs. Why are drugs in the U.S. so expensive compared to other countries? Can anything be done to lower costs? MPR News host Kerri Miller talks to two experts about drug prices in the United States.

Why are drug prices so high? And what can be done?

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