When patients have to pay a share of drug costs: effects on frequency of physician visits, hospital admissions and filling of prescriptions
Open Access
- 22 November 2005
- journal article
- Published by CMA Impact Inc. in CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
- Vol. 173 (11) , 1335-1340
- https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.045146
Abstract
Background: Previous research has shown that patient cost-sharing leads to a reduction in overall health resource utilization. However, in Canada, where health care is provided free of charge except for prescription drugs, the converse may be true. We investigated the effect of prescription drug cost-sharing on overall health care utilization among elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Keywords
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