Tennessee Holds on to No. 1 Ranking for Prescription Drug Use

BlueCross Report Examines State's High Prescription Drug Use Status and Resulting Health Consequences

February 5, 2007

In Tennessee prescription drug use stands at 17.3 prescriptions per person compared to the U.S. average of 11.3 prescriptions per capita. And when it comes to costs, Tennessee earns the nation's No. 2 spot with $1,192 per capita on prescription drug spending.

"It all adds up, but does it add up to better health?" observed Bill Cecil, health policy director for BlueCross. "For all our drug use and spending, Tennessee still ranks 47th in health status for its citizens."

According to Cecil, appropriate prescription drug use has an enormous potential to add value and quality to life, yet criteria for appropriate use are needed to mitigate the myriad of health risks as well as maximize the benefits.

Each year, medication mistakes injure more than 1.5 million Americans as reported by the Institute of Medicine. These drug errors and prescription overuse can result in numerous adverse events like emergency room visits, antibiotic resistance, accidental poisonings, drug addictions and death.

Again, Tennessee lands near the top when it comes to the health consequence of its high prescription use rate.  For example, the state stands 26 percent above the national average for accidental poisonings and has the highest portion of antibiotic resistant pneumococcal isolates among states examined by the Centers for Disease Control.

Along with the health risks comes a financial impact on the state.  Costs for accidental poisonings in Tennessee alone totaled $593 million during 2003. 

"The dangers that prescription overuse pose to our health and our wallets should cause concern for all Tennesseans," said Terry Shea, director of pharmacy services for BlueCross. "Fortunately, the health care community is engaging in many collaborative efforts that explore mechanisms such as electronic health records and education to address our prescription drug problem."

Cecil noted that the information in the report on Tennessee's high prescription drug use is intended to raise awareness of the problem and start a dialogue among the health care industry and the patients that rely on its services. 

The report is available online at bcbst.com under the News & Issues section. 

About BlueCross
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is the state's oldest and largest not-for-profit health plan, serving nearly 3 million Tennesseans.  Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on financing affordable health care coverage and providing peace of mind for all Tennesseans.  BlueCross serves its members by delivering quality health care products, services and information.   For more information on BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, visit the company's Web site at www.bcbst.com.