Arizona second in list of states paying least for prescription medications
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Arizona has been listed as the second in a recent study examining which states were paying the least for medications.
NiceRx’s research found that Arizonans are spending around $64.51 on prescription medications, while the state paying the least is Maine with average costs at $22.39. Around $6,452 is spent on annual healthcare costs for the average resident as well, research shows.
| Rank | State | Number of Prescriptions | Total Prescription Charges | Average Prescription Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Maine | 5,943,347 | $133,053,466 | $22.39 |
| 2. | Arizona | 23,228,918 | $1,498,567,035 | $64.51 |
| 3. | Indiana | 23,994,117 | $1,645,380,370 | $68.57 |
| 4. | Oregon | 16,710,207 | $1,194,354,681 | $71.47 |
| 5. | Illinois | 41,449,807 | $3,200,037,741 | $77.20 |
| 6. | Kansas | 14,091,221 | $1,118,612,169 | $79.38 |
| 7. | Colorado | 19,890,037 | $1,710,138,091 | $85.98 |
| 8. | New Mexico | 6,712,025 | $595,225,947 | $88.68 |
| 9. | Kentucky | 35,990,654 | $3,317,254,416 | $92.17 |
| 10. | Ohio | 56,509,003 | $5,243,465,726 | $92.79 |
The top three states paying the most for prescription medication is Rhode Island at $288.37, Massachusetts at $268.21, and North Dakota at $222.36. With regard to general healthcare, Alaskans pay the most with an average of $11,064 spent every year. Depending on your insurance coverage or Medicare benefits, injuries, illnesses, surgeries and other forms of care can really add up.
NiceRx research shows that the most costly illness comes in at kidney stones, with an average U.S. cost of $4,247 for treatment. The other four leading are urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, normal pregnancies and deliveries, and headaches. Kidney stones can be triggered by a poor diet, past infections, or genetics, and since they tend to be recurring, treatment costs can add up quickly.
In October, President Joe Biden announced that he plans to boost Social Security benefits in 2023 by nearly 9%. “For the first time in 10 years, Social Security checks are going to go up while Medicare premiums go down,” President Biden said. Around the same time as this announcement, the Biden administration signed an executive order to direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to lower costs for around 49 million people. You can learn more about the legislation here.
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