On the other hand, dog food sales will be up

Just make sure it isn't from China. A Republican form of "stimulus" in action!

Americans with financial worries because of the ailing economy may be skipping needed prescription drugs in a wrong-headed attempt to save money, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Nearly 95 percent of doctors surveyed by Epocrates Inc. said they have some concern that patients may not be taking a prescribed drug correctly because of the economic climate.

For those without quite the level of the health insurance a GOP Congresscritter gets, I'm sure cutting those psychotropics and heart medications won't cause all that much consternation, but when talk show hosts start seeing Oxycontin shortages on the black market, or find out that half-a-Viagra is no Viagra at all, we may see some kind of action.

Of course, at least these people are actually seeing a physician, meaning they might have health insurance. Because millions of Americans are finding out the first way to trim expenses is to not make those COBRA payments.

(photo from here)

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]