Thanksgiving provides a valuable opportunity for us to remember the ways in which we are fortunate. But these days, our high rate of unemployment is making many Americans feel like they have fewer blessings to count. A recent survey shows that economic worries also are taking a toll on our health.

MDLinx, which aggregates medical articles for doctors, recently surveyed 500 American primary-care physicians. Almost 95% of them said that their patients had rationed or skipped medications during the past six months because of concern over their finances or insurance coverage. “Patients are having to take their medications every other day,” Dr. Delbert Morales of Greenbelt, Maryland, told MDLinx. “For some medications, I write double the strength and have them cut [the pills] in half so medication will last longer.” Another doctor complained that restrictive insurance formularies soon will force physicians to prescribe drugs from the 1980s.

Such dire straits might make patients feel like they have nowhere to turn, but some public officials are trying to address the problem. Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for permission to provide Medicaid drug discounts to all citizens of his state. Montanans who enrolled in Schweitzer’s program voluntarily could save as much as 55% on the retail price of their drugs. Citizens with private insurance could decide to pay their insurance copay or the Medicaid price, whichever was lower. The program also would cover senior citizens whose Medicare coverage had run out. What’s more, the program would immediately reduce the amount of money that senior citizens in the doughnut hole would have to pay for their medications.

Drugmakers may consider Schweitzer to be a thorn in their side. The governor has criticized the industry’s pricing and accused it of dodging taxes. But it is hard to disagree with his assertion that “no one should be forced to make decisions about whether or not to buy medicine.” It would be in the industry’s interest to cooperate with Schweitzer’s program if it is enacted. Price discounts likely would increase a company’s drug sales, which would be a boon to manufacturers with expired or expiring patents. And any drugmaker that agreed to negotiate discounts with Montana would earn the respect and goodwill of patients across the country. I think patients would remember companies who gave them a reason to be thankful, even after the current crisis ends.