Three Simple Ways to Lower Your Prescription Drug Costs
Even if you have a Medicare Drug Plan, the cost of medications can be very high--especially if your doctor has prescribed brand name pills. Here are three easy ways to cut your costs:
1. Get Double Strength Pills and Cut Them. There is little or no difference in the price you pay per pill for a double strength pill. Ask your doctor if he can prescribe a double strength, which you can then cut with a pill cutter. This enables you to buy 60 days-worth of medication for the cost of 30 day price. But this method is only possible for pills that can safely be split.
Generally the following kinds of pills should not be split:
2. Shop Around: The biggest prescription drug savings can often be found at Big Box stores. The pharmacies at Costco and Sam's Club do not require you be a club member to use their services. And their prices are very competitive for prescription drugs.
Here's a suggestion for the rest of your shopping, on those occasions you're in the store picking up your pills. For over-the- counter items, like bandages, ointments, vitamins, do what my mother-in-law's friends do: At 90 years of age, they are not particularly interested in becoming members. So they go with a friend, fill their carts with usually pricey sundries like paper products, personal care items, and they will ask another shopper who is approaching the self check out line if they can use their card to do their own checkout. No one has refused them to date and the managers who have spotted this seem to close a blind eye–after all, the store is earning revenues they would otherwise not make.
3. Samples Your doctor gets free samples of the medications he prescribes. If you are having trouble paying for your medications, simply ask if he/she will share some of them with you. My friend's aunt never leaves a doctors office without something, and says the doctor is usually too busy to remember, so she has to bring it up. Another thing to ask about are brand name discount cards, often given to doctors by pharmacy reps; these limit your copay or give you a free month. If he remembers, he may pass along one of those, as well--but ask, just to be sure.
1. Get Double Strength Pills and Cut Them. There is little or no difference in the price you pay per pill for a double strength pill. Ask your doctor if he can prescribe a double strength, which you can then cut with a pill cutter. This enables you to buy 60 days-worth of medication for the cost of 30 day price. But this method is only possible for pills that can safely be split.
Generally the following kinds of pills should not be split:
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Anti-seizure medicines
- Birth control pills
- Blood thinners (Coumadin, warfarin)
- Capsules of any kind that contain
- powders or gels
- Pills with a hard outside coating
- Pills designed to release the medication over time in your body
- Pills that are coated to protect your stomach
- Pills that provide drug release throughout the day
- Pills that crumble easily, irritate your mouth, taste bitter, or contain strong dyes that could stain your teeth and your mouth
2. Shop Around: The biggest prescription drug savings can often be found at Big Box stores. The pharmacies at Costco and Sam's Club do not require you be a club member to use their services. And their prices are very competitive for prescription drugs.
Here's a suggestion for the rest of your shopping, on those occasions you're in the store picking up your pills. For over-the- counter items, like bandages, ointments, vitamins, do what my mother-in-law's friends do: At 90 years of age, they are not particularly interested in becoming members. So they go with a friend, fill their carts with usually pricey sundries like paper products, personal care items, and they will ask another shopper who is approaching the self check out line if they can use their card to do their own checkout. No one has refused them to date and the managers who have spotted this seem to close a blind eye–after all, the store is earning revenues they would otherwise not make.
3. Samples Your doctor gets free samples of the medications he prescribes. If you are having trouble paying for your medications, simply ask if he/she will share some of them with you. My friend's aunt never leaves a doctors office without something, and says the doctor is usually too busy to remember, so she has to bring it up. Another thing to ask about are brand name discount cards, often given to doctors by pharmacy reps; these limit your copay or give you a free month. If he remembers, he may pass along one of those, as well--but ask, just to be sure.
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