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How to Lower Prescription Drug Costs: 6 Helpful Tips

How to Lower Prescription Drug Costs: 6 Helpful TipsPhoto by freestocks

Originally Posted On: https://www.qualityprescriptiondrugs.com/blog/2019/08/prescription-drug-costs-6-helpful-tips.html

 

Although circumstances are different for everyone, in many situations prescription drug costs are breaking the bank for those in need. It’s unfortunate that so many people are unable to afford the cost of medications that they need to survive or to live a healthy and happy life. It’s an issue that’s affecting millions of people.

What happens when these people are unable to afford their prescriptions? Those millions of people decide to skip their medications in order to preserve their pockets over their health. Don’t fall victim to over-priced medication costs.

You can lower prescription drug costs by following these 6 helpful tips.

1. Use Generic Medication Brands

Always consider the generic medication brand over the name brand. Don’t let the term “generic” scare you away from making a cost-savings decision. Generic medication brands have the same exact active ingredients in them as the name brands do.

The only thing that’s different is the inactive ingredients in the medication. However, generic medication still meets the same standards as the name brand medications do. These medications will treat your condition in the same exact way as the name brand ones would.

Speak with the pharmacist about what generic brand options are available to you.

2. Different Medication Alternatives

Your doctor might prescribe you one type of medication that’s not covered under your insurance or has a significantly high price. Don’t panic. Your doctor isn’t sure of what medications are covered under your insurance or what the different prices are for each type of drug.

If you run into any of these problems, simply ask your pharmacist, your insurance company, or your doctor about different medication alternatives. In many instances, there are several different medications that can be used to treat the same condition. Most of these drugs are just as effective as the other.

Speak with your doctor before making the switch as he or she will know the best alternative option for you specifically. Your insurance company prefers you to use medications with lower prices to keep costs down. Communicating with all three parties is the best way to find your ideal alternative.

3. Use Different Pharmacies

The healthcare system is changing and with it, we’re seeing more and more people opting to deny prescription coverage as part of their plan. With that being said, payments for prescription drugs will need to be made out of pocket. You might be surprised to know that the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs changes drastically with different pharmacies.

Because of this, your best option is to do a little bit of shopping around. Check-in with all of your local pharmacies and see what their individual prices are for your specific medications. You might even find that working with an online pharmacy intermediary that allows you to receive your medications directly to your doorstep have cheaper prices than the storefront locations.

Always shop around and see what the different prices are at each pharmacy before making a final decision. This is the best way to ensure you get the best price!

4. Ask For Smaller Quantities

If you recently began taking a new medication, you can consider asking your doctor to write out the prescription for a smaller amount than usual. This is a good way to save money while you determine if the prescription works well for you. When starting a new medication, there’s no way to tell for certain if it’ll work the way you need it to or if you’ll experience side effects until you actually take the medicine for a couple of days.

Rather than spending money on a prescription that your body might not respond well to, start out with a small amount of it and go from there. You can also consider asking your pharmacist to dispense a smaller amount. However, there may be restrictions for this based on the state’s laws, but it’s worth asking.

5. Use Coupons to Rack Up Savings

Another way to save directly from the manufacturer is to be on the lookout for manufacturer coupons. Use these coupons to rack up the savings. This is a great option for those whose only option is the manufacturer’s name-brand medication.

And if you’re insured through an employer or through a private insurer, then you might qualify for reductions on your monthly co-pays if you use the savings programs offered by the manufacturer.

Do keep in mind that generic brand medications don’t offer these savings programs. This is because the manufacturer knows that their name-brand medications are more expensive than other options.

To remain competitive against generic brands, they offer these coupons.

6. Ask For Different Dosing

Another way to save is to ask for different dosing of your medication. Asking for higher dosing means you can split a 10mg pill into a 5mg pill by slicing it in half. Many pills come with an indention down the middle for easy splitting.

You can also invest in a pill splitter to do the work for you. Although do keep in mind that some pills are not intended to be split and in these situations, you won’t have this option. Ask your doctor about doubling the dosing for you to split the pills and save money.

If you need a 5mg pill each day, then it takes fewer 10mg pills split into 5mg pills to fulfill your medication needs than a tub full of 5mg pills. This saves you money.

Lower Prescription Drug Costs Today!

You can lower prescription drug costs today by following these 6 simple tips! Consider using generic brands, find out what your alternatives are, and shop around for different pharmacy prices before making a purchase. These tips and using different programs and dosing to save you money are the best ways to lower those costs.

Are you ready to learn how you can begin ordering your prescriptions online and save money? Click here to learn how!

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