Help with pharmacy costs

[prolesunited]

Here's some ideas to help with Rx costs:

* Ask the doctor for generics whenever possible. I was taking a blood pressure pill that had a high co-pay, so I just brought it up and we found a generic for a much, much lower cost. There are dependable generics for many conditions, so just ask and see what works for you.

* Some pills can be safely cut in half. Ask your doctor if this applies on your meds. Have him/her prescribe a double dose and get twice as much for the same price.

* If you have a Meijer near you, they provide antibiotics and prenatal vitamins FREE. See the list here: https://www.meijer.com/pharmacy

* WalMart and Target both off low-cost options for common generics. For something you know works, get your doctor to write a 90-day prescription. You can get some for as low as $10 for a 90-day supply. Lists of what is covered is available at both sites.

* Even if you have insurance, check out generics and the store sites to see if you can get a better deal. You may be surprised. For example, I was getting my generic b.p. med from the insurance company's mail-order pharmacy for $20. Then, I found I could bypass my insurance and get if for only $10.

* There are going to be meds that aren't on the lists of local big box stores. For example, asthma meds cost a fortune and no generics are available. In this case, check out Costco. You don't need to be a member to use the pharmacy and if there is not one near you, they do offer a mail-order service. Shipping is free if you use the USPS normal delivery. And, depending on your copays for meds, you might also lower your costs here by bypassing your insurance company.
http://www.costco.com/Service/FeaturePage.aspx?ProductNo=11486072

* And there's always this program:
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need for free or nearly free. Our mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. We offer a single point of access to more than 475 public and private programs, including nearly 200 offered by pharmaceutical companies.
http://www.pparx.org/

Hope this helps others. It took me a long time to figure all this out. I'm sure others have ideas and ways they've saved, so I hope they share.

[cbayer]

1. Some pharmacies will sell at a discount for quantities of 100. If they don't have

to open the package and count, they may pass along the saving to you.

Great ideas. Thanks!

:hi:

[prolesunited]

3. Thank you

I've never heard of or tried that one.

[dflprincess]

2. Just remember that not every brand name drug has a generic yet

Lipitor would be the best example of that. I know a couple people who tried a couple generics before going back to Lipitor because the generics didn't work as well for them.

And, keep in mind that some generics are made in China or India, and we certainly know what a high priority China puts on quality control. I think of that each week when I swallow the generic pill that's suppose to be the equivalent of Fosamax - and I wonder what I'm really taking, but I can't afford the brand name, the generic is costing me $51.00/month.

[prolesunited]

5. I did point out that generics aren't available for everything

I know that all too well with my asthma. The 60-use Advair inhaler, a one-month supply if you dose daily, is more than $200!!! No option there.

I think it is worthwhile giving generics a try. I haven't yet seen a recall on generic drugs. I think many other products pose a greater threat.

Maybe Costco has a better deal on the generic Fosamax
http://www.costco.com/Pharmacy/frameset.asp?trg=HCFrame.asp&hcban=Banner.asp&hctar=DrugInfo.aspx&log=&rxbox=&fromscript=1&qf=&srch=f&Drug=FOSAMAX&Article=FOSAMAX

[dflprincess]

9. By the time a drug goes generic it has been used by enough people

that (hopefully) all the side effects and contra-indications have been figured out. My concern with generics, at least those made in certain countries, is what's going into them that has nothing to do with the forumula? Given how long it seems to take for anyone to admit that a dangerous product is being imported, I'm not surprised we haven't heard about generic recalls.

There are plenty of Walgreen's around my area and it might be cheaper that but, as long as this is the only prescription I have I'm just going to stick with a local pharmacy rather than give business to a chain. Up and until last year I only had a $7.00 copay on it, but my employer went to one of those "Consumer Driven" scams with a big out of pocket before anything but a few screening tests are paid for (though not as large an out of pocket as the ones allowed by the scam Congress is working on). I know coworkers who have cut back on their medications because of this and sooner or later my employer might learn the hard way that these plans that discourage people from filling prescriptions or seeing their doctors wind up costing everyone more in the long run.

[Blue-Jay]

13. Whatever works for you

Hopefully, some will find this info useful

[blueamy66]

17. Check CVS

The same script from Walgreen's is $10.....CVS is $2.15, thru BCBS.

Walgreen's automatically charges the lowest contracted amount, which is $10. CVS, on the other hand, charges what they should.

[prolesunited]

18. I guess that proves that you really need to take you med list

and shop it around.

I no longer have insurance, so Costco seems to be the best deal for me so far.

[freeplessinseattle]

15. plus generic isn't always cheap

while alot do go for four bucks, many others are still pricey even at half the price of name brand. My new rx for instance, I waited a few months to get bc I heard it was going generic, so it did get cheaper, down from over $200 to a little over $100. yay.

Same with Imitrex, it's maybe 15-20% cheaper in generic, still ridiculous expensive. (Except with the discount card I noted below).

[rox63]

4. I have a prescription discount card from Walgreens

Thankfully, all of my current prescriptions are generic, so they cost me just $12 for a 90-day supply with the card. But it also gives considerable discounts on some brand-name drugs.

[prolesunited]

7. You should run them through the Costco site

They may be cheaper and you may not need to pay the fee for the Walgreens card.

I've never tried the card but saw in-store ads about it. How does it work for you?

[rox63]

10. It works a lot like prescription insurance

I didn't do Costco because you have to pay a $50 membership fee to join. And for the most part, I don't need the mostly large-quantity goods they sell. I think the fee for the Walgreens card is $25 a year.

It's been very helpful. For a while I was on a drug that didn't qualify for the program. But where it normally might have cost me over $100 a month, I got for $32 a month with the card.

[prolesunited]

11. You *do not* have to be a Costco member

to use the pharmacy. I just ordered online and it went through just fine. They offer membership or ask for codes, but you can just ignore it. If you actually go to the store, just tell the card checker you are there to use the pharmacy and they'll let you in.

I'm glad one of your drugs was added. It's amazing how much drugs cost, even if you have fairly routine stuff.

[progressoid]

6. On Non-generics, Walmart Sucks Ass

I had to get a prescription for my daughter. I called 6 different pharmacies. Walmart was the second highest price. The pharmacy in the grocery store down the street was the cheapest.

[prolesunited]

8. Calling around is definitely a good idea

I don't like WalMart, but they were the first to start offering the low-cost generics and then others followed suit.

[Lisa0825]

12. For those not available in generic, always look up the maker online.

I have used 2 brand name drugs in the past year for which the pharm company had discount cards on their website which could be used WITH insurance to reduce the copay. Both were very new drugs that had $50-60 copays, and I ended up getting one for $25 and one for $15. And the cards were good for refills for the whole year too!

For example.... http://www.oracea.com/Consumer/AboutOracea/OraceaSavings.aspx

[freeplessinseattle]

14. Great free discount program saves at least 30-75% UNA-RX

My new pharmacist told me about it because I couldn't afford my new prescription and must've looked in shock at the price. With the discount, it went from over $100 (at generic price, over $200 name brand) to $12, and another migraine rx I'd been paying $160/mo for (again, also the generic) went down to $27.

No qualification needed, the pharmacist offered to set it up for me in just a couple minutes, and you can just print out your card at home. Note that "It can also be used as a Medicare Part D supplement by covering drugs once participants reach the “donut hole”!

http://unarxcard.com/index.php

UNA RX CARD is a “FREE” discount prescription drug card delivered through a joint effort by RESTAT and United Networks of America. This program is made possible through the participation of U.S. pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. UNA Rx Card provides members with average savings of 32%-35% off U&C Pricing with savings as high as 75% on some medications. UNA Rx Card is designed as a stand alone benefit program but it may also be used as a supplement for insured prescription plans to cover non-formulary prescriptions. It can also be used as a Medicare Part D supplement by covering drugs once participants reach the “donut hole”!



I've done a couple posts about this but should do it regularly, thank you for the thoughtful thread. It sure has made such a difference in my life to have affordable meds!

[prolesunited]

16. That's great

Hopefully these ideas will help some of the people here.