Taking medicine ranks right up there for most people with flossing their teeth or dieting — you know that you should, but it’s a chore. But there’s a hidden cost to NOT taking your medicine that impacts both your health and your wallet.

A review in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that patients don’t fill up to 20 to 30 percent of their prescriptions, and as many as half of all patients don’t take medicine as prescribed for chronic conditions. And many people only take about half of the prescribed dose of medicine — even when they are taking antibiotics or medicine for a life-threatening condition.

People cite all kinds of reasons for not taking their medicines. It might be because a drug costs a lot. It could be that they don’t feel sick, so they don’t see the point. Or they might stop taking the medicine because the drug causes undesirable side effects. Or they just forget.

Whatever the reason, the consequences of not taking medicine can be dire. The review article authors estimate that 125,000 people die every year because medicines are not taken or are improperly taken. And about 10 percent of all hospitalizations annually can be attributed to the same thing. The researchers estimate non-adherence costs American health care system between $100 billion and $289 billion a year.

There are ways to ensure that you remember to say “yes” to your prescription drugs. Be sure to share any concerns you might have about taking a drug with your doctor. There may be alternative medicines to mitigate costs and side effects. Your doctor can be a partner in helping you remember to take your medicine so that you can stay healthy and out of the hospital.