How to Cut Prescription Drug Costs
- Dec 11, 2022
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Author: George D. Turner, PharmD
Medication prices go up and up and you have made the decision to pinch pennies to cover drug expenses? You don’t really have to! There are other ways to handle that.
Here are 10 hacks that will help you pare down drug expenses to the minimum:
1. Try to shorten your prescription list.
Have an honest conversation with your doctor and ask him or her whether you really need all the drugs on the list. There is a good chance that you will be able to stop taking (and paying for) at least one item without any damage to your health.
2. Ask about cheaper alternatives.
If you want your doctor to help you cut drug bills, just tell him or her about that. It is OK to discuss financial aspects with your doctor, but it’s not OK that so many people prefer to deny themselves every necessary because they feel uncomfortable to address this topic during the consultation. There are “therapeutic substitutions” for almost every drug: these are different drugs that have a similar effect. Besides, today a lot of people prefer generics, they are as effective as brand drugs, but their price is much more attractive. If you choose this option you will have the opportunity to save up to 90%!
3. Choose 90-day prescriptions.
In case you suffer from some chronic disease or condition, ask your doctor about a 90-day prescription. In such a case you will have to cover one co-pay instead of three.
4. Think about splitting pills.
As a rule, the per-milligram cost of a drug depends on its strength. So, if you buy 40-milligram pills instead of 20-milligram ones and split them afterwards, it can save you a significant sum of money.
5. Pay with cash.
In some cases it is more advantageous not to use your insurance. Ask the pharmacist about this aspect every time you buy drugs.
6. Shop around.
Find some time and visit at least several pharmacies before making a purchase. You will see that prices may vary dramatically. Next time you will not choose the first available pharmacy. By the way, you can make such a survey on the Internet. It will take less time and effort.
7. Use gift cards.
In many cases such cards are sold at a price that is lower that their face value. You just need to go to the nearest pharmacy and to buy such a card, then to choose the medicines and to use the card to pay for them. By the way, the pharmacy is not the only place to purchase a gift card. Many people receive the gift cards they do not really need, so they try to get rid of them, for example, to sell using online platforms. Sure, they offer large discounts, so you will have the opportunity to save even more.
8. Choose online pharmacies.
Today billions of people buy clothes, shoes, gadgets and even food on the Internet, so, why not to switch to an online pharmacy? Buying medicines on the Internet will help you save both time and money and the quality of drugs will be the same. Still, before making a purchase, be sure to check the reputation of the website.
9. Turn to the pharmacist for help.
During your next visit to the pharmacy ask about the ways to cut the drug costs. There is a good chance that the pharmacist will tell you about the coupons or programs that may be interesting for you.
10. Take drugs for free.
Some large retail chains offer programs that let people get some generics for free. As a rule, the list of available free medicines includes antibiotics, drugs for those who suffer from diabetes and other popular items.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to significantly cut prescription drug costs without any damage to your well-being. So, stop overpaying for medicines, there are other purchases you can invest your money in.