Surviving AmericanSurviving
American Medicine
The cost of prescription medications have been rising at an alarming rate. Many patients now refuse to take their medications, or are unable to because of costs. They delay reordering their medicines or cut down on the amounts of medicines that they are taking, putting their health at risk.
So what can you do to find affordable medications? I have provided many tips in my new book Surviving American Medicine, and here are a few that you can count on.
1. Ask your doctor for free samples. Many doctors have samples given to them for free by the drug company, so with free samples you can find out if you will respond successfully to a medication before having to pay a lot of money (and sometimes after only a few pills find out
2. Ask your doctor if there is a generic equivalent.Or even a generic similar medication that is available from multiple different companies which is undoubtedly less expensive. Ask your doctor to try the generic multi-source medication first rather than the brand name expensive drug. Most physicians are anxious to help patients with this problem.
3. Ask the pharmacist or your doctor about double-does pills.Double-dose pills are pills that contain two doses and can be split with a very inexpensive pill cutter. This is a very satisfactory method for cutting your drug costs in half, or even in a quarter.
4. Ask about manufacturer discount programs. Many pharmaceutical companies who make expensive drugs offer discount programs for patients who are on limited incomes. A tip to save a lot of money is to always ask the doctor, nurse, or your pharmacist if the manufacturer has a discount program, and if you’re eligible for it. If they do not know, check on the manufacturer’s website.
5. Shop around. We do it for cars, houses, shoes, coats and groceries, there is no reason we shouldn’t do it for prescription medications as well. Comparative shop at different pharmacies to get the best prices.
Follow all of these tips and I guarantee you will save money the next time you fill your prescriptions. Keep in mind, it’s important to have a source for your medications you trust – somewhere you can talk face-to-face with the pharmacist, one of your best friends and one of the best members of your healthcare team.
