According to a national survey, strategies used by consumers to control their prescription drug costs in 2011 included:

• Did not take medication as prescribed to save money: 12.6% of adults aged 18–64 compared with 5.8% of adults aged 65 and over
• Asked their doctors for lower-cost medication: 19.8% of adults aged 18-64, and 20.3% of adults aged 65 and over
• Bought medication from another country: 2.1% of adults aged 18-64, and 1.9% of adults aged 65 and over
• Used alternative therapies: 6.0% of adults aged 18-64, and 2.3% of adults aged 65 and over

Source: "Strategies Used by Adults to Reduce Their Prescription Drug Costs," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS Data Brief #119, April 2013,http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db119.htm