Consumer Directed Healthcare

WHERE CAN I GET THE BEST PRICES ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?

 

 

First of all, whether you are 25, 45 or over 65, prescription costs can be a bear. Some carriers won’t cover certain drugs, some drugs haven’t been in wide spread use long enough to be approved by various carriers, some are excluded due to sheer cost….. but there is help!

 

There are many avenues to saving money if you don’t have a health plan that covers your particular medication needs - or if you don’t have a plan at all.

 

First….. doctor’s samples. Almost every prescription that a doctor can write has been given to him in sample form, by pharmaceutical reps. If nothing else, a doctor should be able to give you a two week to two month supply of samples. Some doctors have kept patients going indefinitely on samples.

 

Second….. ask if the prescription comes in a generic form. It is surprising how many doctors just write out the prescription for the brand name, even when there is a generic.

 

Third….. if you take a medication that is in a breakable tablet form, ask your doctor to write it for double your usual strength with the instructions to break it in half. The price difference between 20 and 40mgs of a drug is often less than 20%. Sometimes, there is no difference.

 

Fourth….. shop around! Many of the stores have those wonderful $4 generics. For the most part, the least expensive retail store I have seen for brand name is Costco. Go to www.costco.com and check out any of your prescriptions - you may be surprised by some of those rates.

 

Fifth….. I have never heard a horror story about prescriptions filled in Mexico but, since those factories are simply independently contracted and Canada’s are owned and operated by many of the manufacturer’s themselves, I would tend to trust Canada more…

 

Sixth….. Canadian mail order. For some reason, some folks think this isn’t around anymore. The only ones complaining about Canadian mail order are all the “middle men” involved in the distribution of prescription drugs who won’t get their “cut” if you buy your prescription outside the US. By the time a medication leaves the factory and gets to your drug store, it goes through about six distribution points, each with their own fee tacked on. Try www.candrugstore.com. Once on this very easy-to-use website, use Promo Code 898 and your first order will get free shipping, even if you have ordered in the past. Or call 866-444-6376 to place your order - again, reference Promo Code 898. Note: they do not, never have and never will order from China due to quality control issues.

 

Also, the patent on brand name drugs is only good in the US. Many of the same companies who

manufacture prescription drugs in the US make them in Canada also -  in their own facilities and

in a generic form. This is true - and the cost, ordering through Canada, is anywhere from 35% to

75% less the cost of the brand name equivalent.

 

Seventh….. if you are low income or simply have some really costly meds, you can contact the manufacturer directly and ask if they participate in any prescription assistance programs. Many do and none advertise this. All it takes is for you and your doctor to fill out a form and send it in. Many drugs costing in the $75 to $300 range are dispensed at little or no charge by the manufacturers.

 

Bear in mind, too, that many brand name and some generics, are manufactured in China, regardless of where you are buying them. There have been some recalls of prescription drugs manufactured in China that contain heparin. The Internet is a valuable tool is keeping up with this type of information. 

 

The above tips are for everyone - not just the over-65, the unemployed, the disabled…. everyone.