• St. Louis Post-Dispatch , Wednesday, April 18, 2007 11:15 AM

Patients who have to pay higher deductibles for brand-name drugs will sometimes forgo medication altogether rather than substitute generics that cost less, according to a study released by mail-order prescription drug firm Express Scripts. It also says that the savings might lead to expensive complications if patients fail to take necessary medications.

Express Scripts was looking at employers using consumer-driven health plans. Patients in those plans pay a larger portion of their health care costs so they have more incentive to stay healthy and choose cost-effective care when they're sick.

Experts said the study's findings are complex. Some patients who stopped using branded medications probably didn't need any medication, and others could fill the void with an over-the-counter product. Still, some plans might make it difficult for patients to afford their medications, especially if they are not generics.

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