84 Half of Americans take no prescription drugs. At the other end of the spectrum are people like Karen Milligan. She needs several drugs and pays... Half of Americans take no prescription drugs. At the other end of the spectrum are people like Karen Milligan. She needs several drugs and pays a lot for them. She has dealt with multiple sclerosis for three decades. It’s disease of the central nervous system with no cure. At 65, Karen is seeing her drug costs continue to increase, even for the same drug she has been taking for years. Her total out-of-pocket spending for medications is running about $9,000 a year, though she’s covered by Medicare. Her husband, Greg, says the MS drug Aubagio has gotten significantly more expensive for her.