Granite Staters Support Efforts to Lower Prescription Drug Costs

Many New Hampshire residents take prescription drugs regularly and are concerned about their ability to afford them in the next two years.

Three-quarters take prescription drugs regularly, with nearly one-third taking four or more. Adults 65 and older are more likely than their younger counterparts to say that they take one or more prescription medications.

Although many (42%) New Hampshire residents report spending less than $50 per month on prescription drugs, roughly half say they are extremely, very, or somewhat concerned about their ability to afford the cost of needed prescription drugs in the next two years.

New Hampshire residents support efforts to address high prescription drug costs, including importing them from countries such as Canada.

Although U.S. law largely prohibits people from importing prescription drugs from other countries, support is strong among New Hampshire residents to allow for that practice. Democratic and Independent New Hampshire residents are more likely than their Republican counterparts to support importing prescription drugs from Canada.

When New Hampshire residents were asked about four legislative proposals to lower the cost of prescription drugs, support was highest for allowing New Hampshire to work with other states to combine their buying power and achieve a lower price. Support was also similarly high for a proposal to establish upper payment limits on certain high-cost prescription drugs in New Hampshire. The other two proposals received slightly less support: the establishment of a state-run program to help certain individuals pay for the prescription medications and the development of a state-run program to import drugs from Canada.

Most New Hampshire residents have heard nothing about a proposal to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, yet when it is described to them, support rises to about 6 in 10 Granite Staters.

Methodology

The findings are based on a survey conducted online in June 2024 to better understand the views of New Hampshire residents related to prescription drugs. The sample of 1,104 New Hampshire residents 18 or older was based on data from the Granite State panel that were weighted to the latest American Community Survey (ACS) estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau by age, gender, region of the state, and level of education. The data are also weighted by party registration based on the latest registration numbers provided by the New Hampshire Secretary of State and to 2020 election results in New Hampshire. The survey interviews averaged 12 minutes in length. The interviews were conducted in English June 20–24, 2024.

For more information, please contact Teresa A. Keenan at tkeenan@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.