Saving On Prescription Drugs
Posted on May 16, 2009
Filed Under Education, Health News, Medical Doctors | 21 Comments
One thing you know about a troubled economy is that it will not cure any of your ailments. Even when times are tough, people still need to get medication to keep chronic conditions at bay or to cure an acute illness. Despite constant chatter about rising healthcare costs, there are ways to cut your bill. Here are three options for buying prescriptions that could save you money.
Ask About Generics
When your doctor gives you a prescription, ask her or your pharmacist about a generic option. Before a manufacturer can sell a generic drug, it must prove that the compound is exactly the same as the name-brand drug. They are also subject to the same safety regulations as advertised drugs. Of course, not every product — especially those that you are most likely to hear about on television or in glossy magazines — has a generic match which ones do. The savings can be huge that the average generic prescription is about $34, compared to about $120 for a name-brand. For example, a 30-day supply of cholesterol-fighting drug Pravachol costs $132 a month. Getting the generic form, pravastatin, for $4 a month from a large chain would save more than $1,500 a year.
Split Your Pills
Some people who are worried about paying for medications cut a pill in half and take it less often so it lasts twice as long. Doctors and pharmacists say that doing this on your own is quite dangerous. Cutting a pill can change how quickly medicine is released and how it affects your body. However, with the right guidance, you can cut pills to take economic advantage. For example, if your doctor allows it, you could get a prescription for a larger dose than you need. For example, if you need to take 200 milligrams a day, buying 400 milligram tablets may not cost twice as much. Buying in bulk like that may get you more medicine for less money, and a pill-splitter — usually available at a pharmacy for home use — can make it a do-it-yourself process, so long as you can make precise cuts to avoid over- or underdosing.
This may not be a common example, but some online pharmacies even list medications for the same price for larger pills. One has pravastatin in 20 mg pills for $3.50 for 30. The same price applies to 40 mg pills. If all you need is 20 mg a day, you can cut your price per dose in half. That’s a savings of $42 a year, but that’s for a generic. If you were able to do it with a prescription, the savings would be much greater.
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21 Responses to “Saving On Prescription Drugs”
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