How to save on your medications
Dear Savvy Senior
Can you recommend some tips that can help lower my prescription medication costs? I?m 58 years old, and currently take four drugs that I can barely afford. What can you tell me?
Underinsured Susan
Dear Susan,
For the millions who are uninsured or underinsured, there are several ways you can reduce your medication costs without cutting quality. The following tips can also help seniors with a Medicare prescription drug plan avoid their ?doughnut hole? coverage gap, or reduce their costs once they reach it.
Cost Cutters
Most people don?t comparison shop for their prescription drugs. They get a prescription from a doctor, go to their favorite pharmacy to fill it, and usually don?t even ask the price. But, you can save money, sometimes lots, if you shop around. Drug prices can vary significantly from pharmacy to pharmacy, and shopping online (it?s your best tool!) can be especially convenient and effective. Here are some costs cutting tips that may help:
? Buy generic: Generic drugs are as safe as brand-name medications and typically cost 30 to 80 percent less. Ask your doctor if the medication you?re taking is available in generic form or check online at www.rxaminer.com. Discount retailers like Wal-Mart and Target are currently offering great deals, charging only $4 for a 30-day supply, while Kmart offers a 90-day supply for $15. Costco also offers low cost generics to its members.
? Ask about cheaper alternatives: Even if your drug doesn?t have a generic equivalent, there may be an older, less expensive brand-name drug your doctor can prescribe. Brand-name drugs on the market for seven or more years are up to 40 percent cheaper than newer ones.
? Ask about free samples: Many doctors have extra supplies of medications in their offices and are willing to help out patients in need.
? Buy in bulk: Many pharmacies give discounts if you buy a three month supply of drugs at once versus a 30-day supply.
? Split your pills: Ask your doctor about cutting your pills in half. Pill splitting allows you to get two months? worth of medicine for the price of one, but not all pills can be split. Splitting devices are available in most pharmacies, or for those hard to split pills see www.precisionpillsplitters.com
? Shop online: Using online or mail-order pharmacies is another way to cut costs, often 25 percent or more. A top resource for finding U.S.-based pharmacies offering the lowest prices is www.destinationrx.com, click on “Price Compare.? (Tip: Make sure the online pharmacy you?re buying from has the ?VIPPS? seal of approval (see www.vipps.info). Seniors enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan also need to make sure the online pharmacy they?re buying from is included in their network. Otherwise, the purchase may not count toward their deductible.
? Seek extra help: If your income is limited, you can probably get help with your drug cost through pharmaceutical patient assistance programs (see www.rxassist.org and www.pparx.org), state pharmacy assistance programs, Medicare?s extra help, national and local charitable programs and more. To find out if you?re eligible for these programs visit www.benefitscheckuprx.org. Other good resources to see are www.needymeds.com and www.medicarerights.org, click on Discount Rx Resources.