Studies show that the vast majority of American adults are on at least one prescription medication. If you fit into this category, you know that prescriptions can get expensive pretty quickly. Even with insurance, prescription co-pays may place an unwelcome financial burden on your family. If you desperately need to spend less money on medications every month, try these options.
Ask Your Doctor for Samples
If you are starting a new prescription, your doctor may have samples available from the manufacturer. This is a great way to save some money while you’re figuring out if the medication works for you or not. Many manufacturers provide samples for up to a full month. With the sample, you may receive coupons that lower the cost of the medication for you every month.
Look Online for Coupons
Sometimes, doctors’ offices do not have coupons available or the coupons they have are outdated. In that case, you can take your search to the Internet. Check the drug manufacturer’s website to see if they have coupons for new patients. Usually, all you have to do is print the coupon out and take it to the pharmacy with your prescription. The pharmacy will then apply it to your prescriptions for as long as the coupon allows.
Use Generics When Possible
The vast majority of medications have generic versions available. If you are trying out a medication that’s new to the market, you may find that the patent does not yet allow generics. Still, it is worth asking your doctor if there are any generic options to consider before trying a name brand medication. Price differences can be huge between name brand medications and generics, especially if you may need to be on a medication for the rest of your life.
For Expensive Prescriptions, Find Out if You Can Switch to a Cheaper Medication in the Same Class
If one of your prescriptions does not have a generic available or if generic isn’t a good choice for you, you may be looking at a big monthly prescription bill. Again, your doctor may be able to help. After checking out the price of a certain prescription, you can contact your doctor’s office and ask if they have any other options to consider. For example, most ADD medications are amphetamine stimulants, but there are significant price differences between them. Switching to a different medication in the same class may give you the same benefits at a lower cost.
Stay Loyal to One Pharmacy
Most pharmacies have some sort of customer loyalty program in place now. Sticking to the same pharmacy for everything can help you earn points and get rewarded for your monthly prescription and health care purchases.
Cutting down on your prescription expenses is a major way to minimize your health care costs. Give these a try and find out how much money you can save each month.
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