It’s a cause for concern when people can’t take their medication because they can’t afford it. Unfortunately, this is the case for a third of uninsured US adults, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In this report, individuals who have to incur the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs seek alternative therapies or give up on medication due to financial costs.
If your drugs’ cost is affecting your medication regimen, these tips on how to buy prescription drugs at a lower price may help.
How To Make Medicine Cheaper
1. Look for Coupons
One possible way of bringing the high price of your prescription drugs down is through coupons. Pharmacy discount coupons or discount cards are often a lifesaver for individuals who aren’t on an insurance plan. But even if you’re insured, you’ll realize that the price of the drugs will be much lower with the coupon than with the insurance. That said, it’s essential to let the pharmacist know that you’ll pay using a coupon. A pharmacy coupon card will also come in handy, for instance, if the drugs are non-insured or there’s a limit on quantity.
Discount cards could save you up to 80% on the cost of the drugs. And the best part about them is that they are free and you don’t have to sign up to get one. Also, prescription coupons are acceptable in over 60,000 retail pharmacies in the USA, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Costco.
If you’re looking for the best prescription discount cards of 2020, GetDealRX is an excellent place to start your search. This is among the recent entrants in the prescription discount arena and a favorite choice for most people. GetDealRX is accepted in over 35000 pharmacies countrywide, including Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger, CVS, and Albertson. They don’t have a mobile app yet, but their website is intuitive and extremely easy to use from your mobile phone.
2. Consider generic drugs
Generic drugs are similar to existing brand-name drugs in ingredients, strength, and dose. These medications are created to perform similarly to their brand name drug version and also have matching side effects. The most significant difference is in the cost.
Generic drugs are often several folds cheaper than brand name drugs. The reason why brand name drugs are pricier is the high cost involved in researching, developing, and patenting them. On the other hand, developing generic drugs does not involve most of these costs. For this reason, the companies can offer them at a much more affordable price.
For a generic drug to be approved by the FDA, it ought to meet high standards and provide the same health benefits as its brand name alternative.
Most brand name drugs have cheaper generic versions, but some are available as brand name drugs only. Importantly, while generics are engineered to work like their brand name drugs, you need to get your doctor’s approval before going for them to minimize the risk of adverse effects.
3. Save money by buying in bulk
If you have to take your medication on a long-term or permanent basis, you probably know that it will cost you a lot of money. A secret that most people don’t understand is that buying prescription drugs in bulk is often cheaper than on a monthly basis.
Consider Fexofenadine HCL (a generic antihistamine), for instance. A dose of 30 tablets of this medication with a GetDealRX coupon would cost you $8.75 at Walmart. This translates to 0.29 cents per tablet. On the other hand, a 90-tablet dose would cost you $13.95, translating to 0.15 cents per tablet.
This method of paying less for prescription drugs works only with long-term medications. If you’re unsure whether you’ll need to take the drugs for an extended period, you may end up buying drugs you’ll never use.
4. Consider drugs that can be split
Another excellent way of saving money on prescriptions is by buying splittable drugs. These pills can be divided using a pill-cutter (or bare hands), so you have two halves of equal dosage. For instance, a dose of 90 pills of Livalo (Pitavastatin), which is used to lower blood cholesterol, costs around $982, whether you choose the 2mg or 4mg dose. If you’re on a tight budget- or want to save some dollars- you can get the 4mg dose and split the pills into 2 halves. This way, you’ll be saving 50% on your medication.
Note that drugs are only safe for splitting if your doctor or pharmacist approves it. Always enquire before going for a higher dosage. As a rule of thumb, capsules and controlled- or slow-release tablets should never be split. Also, chemotherapy drugs, seizure-related medications, and birth control pills should be taken whole.
5. Ask your doctor for a cheaper alternative
Communication and openness between you and your physician is key to getting the right medication for your condition. This applies not only in terms of your overall health but also your ability to afford the drugs.
Physicians understand that some drugs can leave huge dents on an individual’s wallet, mostly if it’s not covered by the insurance. The good news is that your doctor may be aware of a cheaper medication that may offer the intended benefits without hurting your bank account so much.
6. Shop around- prices vary a lot!
Various factors come into play when pharmacies are determining the price of the drugs. These include overhead costs, the original buying price from the pharmaceutical companies, and profit margins. These factors vary between different pharmacies within the same zip code. So, it’s not surprising that the price of a particular prescription drug may range from $20 to $150 within the same zone.
Call several pharmacies around you and enquire about their prices before making your decision. Alternatively, you can use the Set Location button on getdealrx.com to identify the pharmacies closest to you and their prices.
