Saving Money on Prescription Drugs
Budgets are tight these days. We are all looking for ways to save money. Many people require medications to treat ongoing conditions - diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, etc. Other times, medications are needed for an acute problem like strep throat or an ear infection.
Let’s look at some safe ways to save money on prescription drugs:
Talk to your doctor.
Does the prescription come in a generic form that will work for you and your medical problem. Generic drugs are often a fraction of the cost of the brand name.
Sometimes pill splitting can be a way to save money. Often pills come in multiple doses. The 10 mg pill may be the same or slightly higher than the 5 mg pill. By purchasing the 10 mg pill and “splitting” it, you get two 5 mg doses. This won’t work for all drugs.
Comparison shop. Ask several pharmacies what the cost of your prescription is. I would encourage you, for safety sake, to get all of your prescriptions filled at one pharmacy. This is especially important if you take several drugs for chronic medical conditions. The pharmacist can aid your doctor in side effects and adverse drug interactions.
Check and see if you qualify for assistance from the drug companies. Here is a partial list.
> Merck
> Medicare Prescription Drug Assist
Unsafe ways to save money on prescription drugs are to be avoided. These include:
Not filling the prescription. If you have a condition like hypertension or diabetes, this can put your health at significant risk.
Skipping doses. Same as the above, it can seriously put your health at risk.
Source
Consumer Reports
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