Ten Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs

TEN WAYS TO SAVE ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

1. Tell your doctor you can't afford the drugs he's prescribing.

According to a Consumer Reports survey, only 4% of those polled said they'd had a conversation with their doctors about the cost of a drug. You shouldn't hesitate to talk to your doctor about prices; these days, many people can't afford the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs.

2. Ask your doctor whether there's a generic that would work just as well.

It's amazing how much money you can save with this one little question. For example, if your doctor prescribes lunesta, a sleeping pill, you could end up paying about $93 for 15 doses. Switch to zolpidem, which is the generic form of ambien, and you'll pay $33 for the same number of doses, according to Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs.

To make it really easy, bring in a list of the low cost generics sold at your local pharmacy and hand it to your doctor. If there isn't a generic that will work for your particular problem, ask whether there might be a less-expensive brand name available.

3. Ask the pharmacist for less-expensive alternatives.

You can also ask your pharmacist whether there's a less-expensive drug in the same class as the one your doctor prescribed.

4. Consider using mail order delivery.

Mail order is a key way to save on medications when needing to take medicines long-term. Mail order makes it more convenient and affordable:

• To fill prescriptions for people who take medicine regularly for arthritis, asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.
• To get specialty medications to people with complex conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia or cancer.

5. Find a Prescription Assistance Program.

Prescription assistance programs (PAPs) are an excellent resource, particularly for those families with limited income. There are several out there to help people who can't afford their prescription drugs.

6. Be suspicious of free samples.

Samples are indeed enticing. But what a lot of people don't know is that samples are often for the most expensive drugs on the market. Although the samples will help you out for a month or two, after that, you'll have to start forking over the big bucks by yourself.

7. Buy a three-month supply.

Usually, it is less expensive to get a 90 day supply instead of buying one month at a time. For instance, a 30-day supply of 5 milligram tablets of simvastatin, a cholesterol medicine, costs $18 at drugstore.com, while a 90-day supply costs $43, saving you about 20% over the long term.

8. Split medications with caution.

Sometimes you really can save money by asking your doctor to prescribe a double dosage of a medication and then splitting the pills in half. There are safe and unsafe ways to split medications and some should never be split at all, such as time-delivery drugs. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist if the medicine is suitable for splitting. Invest in a pill cutter to ensure an accurate dosage.

9. If you don't have insurance, shop around.

Pricing your drugs may take you some time, but you'll be surprised at the differences in costs. Phone your local pharmacies and ask them what they charge for your drug, and ask what the costs are for a 30, 60 and 90-day supply. Pharmacies sometimes charge very different prices for the same drugs. In fact, Consumer Reports found that prices for the same bottle of pills can vary by more than $100. Additionally, many of the local pharmacies have websites to help make your research easier. A website called Pharmacy Checker helps you compare prices too.

10. Ask for a medication review.

You may be taking medicines you don't need, especially if you see a variety of doctors who don't talk to one another about what they're prescribing. If you take more than a couple of drugs on regular basis, schedule periodic review visits with your doctor to reevaluate each medication. You can also check with your pharmacist if your drugstore offers medication therapy management which will reappraise your entire medication list, make sure you need all of them, and recommend less expensive options.

Resources: March 19, 2009|by Elizabeth Cohen, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent; Five Tips to Help Patients Reduce Drug Costs by Trisha Torrey, About.com Guide, April 2010