Statin users can save money if they adhere to therapies, Medco finds

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — In a year and a half, patients taking statins to lower their cholesterol can save more than $900 when they take their medications as prescribed, according to a new study in the June 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.

The study, conducted by pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions’ research subsidiary, the Medco Research Institute, found that patients who adhered to their therapies saved as much as $944 over 18 months because they experienced fewer cardiovascular problems leading to hospitalization.

The study was based on data from Medco’s pharmacy and medical claims for 381,000 patients ages 18 to 61 years who received statin therapy between January 2007 and June 2009. Patients who took their drugs 90% of the time had total healthcare costs of $10,162, compared with $11,106 for those who took them less than 60% of the time.