More Than 80% of Insured Patients Want Providers to Automatically Select Lower-Cost Medications, New Report Finds

2026 State of Drug Access Survey from RazorMetrics highlights widespread frustration with prescription costs and the growing burden of polypharmacy

AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- RazorMetrics, a leading innovator in pharmacy technology solutions, today released its 2026 State of Drug Access Survey, finding that nearly 84% of insured patients want providers to automatically select lower-cost options when clinically appropriate.

The survey also found that nearly two-thirds of respondents taking five or more medications describe the experience as confusing, side-effect-heavy, or difficult to manage. Based on responses from 1,000 insured U.S. adults nationwide, the findings reveal that price uncertainty and polypharmacy are impacting prescription drug access, trust, and downstream risk.

"Medicine always has been, and always will be, patient-first. Our national study makes clear that patients want their own physician to automatically select lower-cost, clinically equivalent options for them," said Siva Mohan, MD, president and chief medical officer at RazorMetrics. "For patients managing five or more medications, price uncertainty and safety risks compound one another. Patients don't want more tools, apps, or the responsibility of navigating nuanced health decisions on their own. They want costs and risks addressed earlier, automatically, and clinically by their personal physician, working for them in the background before they ever know there's a problem."

The 2026 State of Drug Access Survey highlights continued consumer frustration. Nearly half of respondents say they find patient-driven healthcare apps and discount platforms hard to navigate, with many describing the process as overwhelming or inconsistent. More than half of insured patients do not trust that they are paying the lowest available price, and among those who report price confusion, 68% do not trust pricing outcomes. The data shows affordability performs best when handled inside care delivery, before prescriptions reach the pharmacy counter, rather than shifted to patients after the fact.

For households dealing with polypharmacy, defined as managing five or more medications per month, affordability stress compounds across multiple therapies, increasing both financial strain and the burden of medication management. Patients describe tracking when to take each medication, when to refill prescriptions, and what each one does as a job in itself, with side effects and confusion often leading to missed or adjusted doses.

"Polypharmacy is experienced as a daily cognitive load, not just a clinical condition," said Tom Dorsett, CEO of RazorMetrics. "It is not surprising that patients prefer their own physician to automatically review and reduce their prescription burden, as well as select lower-cost, clinically equivalent options where available. Patients are already managing enough. Adding cost navigation with new digital tools to an already complex regimen only increases friction and frustration."

Additional findings from the 2026 survey include:

• 56% of insured patients do not trust that they are paying the lowest available price
• Among those who report price confusion, 68% do not trust pricing outcomes
• 43% were prescribed a drug in the last 12 months that was too expensive
• 16% leave prescriptions unfilled or ration medication when a drug is too expensive
• Nearly four in five patients experience sticker shock below $250, reinforcing that affordability stress affects everyday medications

"These findings point to a clear conclusion: the pharmacy system repeatedly asks patients to adapt to its complexity, while patients consistently ask the system to absorb it," continued Mohan. "Programs that rely on patient initiation are destined, by design, to underperform. Predictable pricing, proactive optimization, and physician decision-making consistently outperform reactive, patient-driven models."

RazorMetrics Embedded within Physician Workflows

RazorMetrics' physician-directed pharmacy optimization model identifies lower-cost, clinically appropriate alternatives delivered within physicians' workflows. Medication changes occur only with provider approval, and patients are engaged after decisions are made, versus being left to navigate health-related decisions on their own.

By operating inside clinical workflows and focusing on formulary optimization, RazorMetrics reduces price uncertainty, minimizes friction, and supports safer medication use, particularly for patients managing multiple therapies. The result is durable savings, improved adherence, and a pharmacy experience that aligns with what patients repeatedly say they want: affordability handled automatically, clinically, and upstream.

To access the full survey or learn more about RazorMetrics' cost containment solutions, visit razormetrics.com.

About RazorMetrics
RazorMetrics creates cutting-edge pharmacy cost containment solutions to quickly and easily reduce drug costs. Its proprietary technology automatically initiates cost-saving opportunities through medication switching, deprescription, deduplication, and more–all while adapting to fit client's plan, preferences, and formulary. RazorMetrics conveniently plugs into prescriber's existing workflow, improving healthcare decisions while seamlessly reducing medication costs for members and plan sponsors. Based in Austin, TX, RazorMetrics supports self-funded employers, health plans, PBMs, and organizations to bring clarity, efficiency, and more value to their pharmacy benefits. For more information, visit www.razormetrics.com.

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SOURCE RazorMetrics