Tips to Reduce Your Medication Costs
Prescription medication costs are higher in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world. This is because the U.S. does not regulate medication costs. While every industrialized country has some form of price control on patented medication, the U.S. does not. Millions of people in America are struggling to pay for their prescription drugs. Too often people have to choose between putting food on their tables and taking their medication. Our goal at Medicationcoupons.com is to help people save money on medication. And in this newsletter, we will show you different ways that you can reduce your medication expenses. Please be sure to discuss your options with your doctor prior to taking any of the recommendations mentioned in this article.
Generics- A great way to save money on your medication is to ask your doctor to write you a prescription for a generic alternative. On the average, generic medications are 30%-80% cheaper than brand name medications. For some reason, people believe that generic medications are far less superior and effective than brand name medications. This is simply not true. Although generic medications may look different, the quality is the same and they are equally as safe as brand name medications according to the FDA (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingGenericDrugs/ucm144456.htm). Both generic and brand medications contain the same amount of active ingredients. Generic medications are approved by the FDA. The FDA requires that all generic drugs be the same as brand name drugs in dosage, strength, the way it’s taken, the way it works and the health conditions it treats. Rest assured, if you choose to buy generic, they are just as safe and effective as taking brand drugs and much more cost effective.
Pill Splitting- Pill splitting has become increasingly popular. The term pill splitting refers to a doctor writing a prescription for double the dosage of a medication, and then the patient splits the pill in half. The results are the same cost, but double the quantity. Not all pills can be split, so be sure to double check with your doctor before splitting them yourself. When splitting pills, make sure you use a pill splitter and not a knife. Pill splitters are much more accurate.
Higher dosage taken less often- Another alternative would be to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a higher dosage pill that you could take less often. Example- if you normally take 2 x 40 mg pills a day, perhaps you could take 1 x 80 mg pill a day.
Medication Samples- Don’t ever leave your doctor’s office without asking if he or she has samples of the medication he or she just prescribed you. Doctors typically do have a variety of medication samples provided by their pharmaceutical reps. Most will be more than happy to help their patients save money any way they can.
Medication Coupons- Medication coupons are also a great way to save money on the cost of your medication. Many drug manufacturers offer savings coupons, rebates, free trial offers, free samples and co-pay cards for their medications; this includes both prescription and over the counter medications. Medicationcoupons.com constantly scours the web looking for these offers and then compiles them for consumers. In fact, we offer the most extensive database of free medication coupons online. Click here to search for your medication coupons.
Discount Drug Cards- As many of you know, discount drug cards are a very effective way to reduce prescription medication costs. The Medicationcoupons.com free discount drug card is directly responsible for saving consumers over $2.5 million, and that amount continually grows. Our free discount drug card offers savings for prescription medication purchases that are not covered by insurance (this includes those who are in the Medicare donut hole). Medicationcoupons.com now offers a plastic, wallet sized discount drug card. If you would like one of these, please email us at couponmail@medicationcoupons.com
Patient Assistance Programs- Do you know about patient assistance programs? Many Pharmaceutical companies offer free or deeply discounted prescription medication to uninsured and underinsured patients. Although certain eligibility criteria must be met in order to qualify for a patient assistance program, millions of dollars worth of prescription medication are given away annually through patient assistance programs. FreeMedPrograms.com is a website that provides people with the necessary information they will need to apply for patient assistance.
Medicationcoupons.com is dedicated to helping consumers save money on their medication. Always remember to discuss any and all options mentioned in this article with your doctor. We continually add and update our medication coupon database to provide you with access to the best medication deals out there. Never pay full price for your medication again!
