High drug prices are creating a hidden burden for physicians, according to a newly released survey. RazorMetrics' 2026 Physician Drug Cost Survey examined how prescription cost pressures affect physicians' practices. As reported by MedCity News, the central finding is that when drug prices are too high for patients, physicians take on additional workload to find solutions.
The survey frames this extra work as a hidden burden, one that is not always visible in standard measures of clinical practice. It shifts attention from patient out-of-pocket costs to the operational strain placed on physicians and their practices. The report suggests that cost pressures do not simply end at the pharmacy counter.
The findings point to broader ripple effects of high drug prices across the healthcare system. Addressing affordability may require recognizing the additional labor physicians absorb when patients cannot pay for medications. No other sources were available for comparison, but the survey alone highlights an often-overlooked consequence of rising prescription costs.