When you get a prescription from the doctor, what do you do? Do you head right over to the pharmacy and fill it immediately, no questions asked? And, if you have multiple prescriptions, you know that costs can add up fast.
Did you know you could save money on prescriptions? If you didn’t, well, you’re missing out!
Thankfully, Florida Independent is here to help. In this article, we’ll show you 8 great ways to save money on prescriptions, so you never have to go broke just to stay healthy again.
Ready to learn how?
Continue reading below, and we’ll show you how to save those benjamins.
1. Ask About Alternatives
You might be wondering how to get a prescription without insurance, but what if you didn’t actually need a prescription at all?
Before giving any of these other cost-saving methods a try, be sure to ask your doctor if there are any other alternatives to your current prescription. Ask about the potential side effects, what the prescription is supposed to do for you, and if there is an OTC remedy or a nutritional supplement you could try instead.
2. Talk to Your Pharmacist
Make an appointment to meet with your pharmacist so they can review the full list of medications you’re currently taking.
Once your pharmacist has all of the relevant information, including any OTC remedies you’re trying or supplements you take, they can work with you and your doctor. You’ll work together to determine where you might be duplicating efforts and if anything in your current treatment plan may be eliminated, which would definitely help you boost those savings.
3. Give Price Shopping a Go
The prices of prescriptions can vary substantially from one provider to another, whether it’s an independent pharmacy, a chain, or the pharmacy at a big box department store like Target or Walmart.
But, if you take the time to do a little detective work and compare prices from one pharmacy to another, you can certainly save yourself some money. Start with calling several local pharmacies, then use a comparison shopping engine like Pharmacy Checker to search online.
If you want to buy online, check out this site.
4. See If the Manufacturer Offers Any Assistance
Did you know? Some pharmaceutical manufacturers offer discount or assistance programs to patients who meet certain qualifying criteria. They may earn a certain amount of income or have a specific type of insurance that qualifies them to receive assistance.
To determine if you’re a good candidate, check out the manufacturer’s website. You should find an application you can download, fill out, and apply with to see if you are eligible for financial assistance or a discounted price.
Keep in mind, though, you may need to provide documentation of your income and/or authorization from your doctor.
5. Research Whether Your State Has a Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
If the manufacturer itself doesn’t offer any form of assistance you can take advantage of, you still have options. One of which is seeing if your state has a pharmaceutical assistance program, too.
More than 20 states have assistance programs, so checking if yours does definitely won’t hurt!
Most of these programs, however, are aimed at low-income patients, or those with disabilities causing them to be disqualified from receiving other types of assistance like Medicaid.
To read about the programs if your state, you’ll want to head over to the National Conference of State Legislatures website. Some states offer subsidies using their own funds, some exclusively offer discounts to patients, and other states offer both options – meaning you could save even more.
Find out what your state offers by looking at the NCSL’s website today.
6. Find the Most Economical Supply for Your Prescription
One strategy you may not know is to talk to your provider and determine if a longer term prescription (such as 90 days) would be less expensive than the 30-day supply you might typically go for.
Plus, if you fill your prescription for a longer period of time, you may be able to save even more – as some insurance plans offer smart patients these savings. It also means fewer trips to the pharmacy, using less of your car’s gasoline, and saving some time.
When you add it all up, why wouldn’t you give this strategy a try?
7. Look for Manufacturer’s Coupons
If the manufacturer of your prescription (or prescriptions) doesn’t offer a discount program or financial assistance that you can avail of long-term, you may still be able to save by searching for coupons.
Google the name of your prescription or manufacturer, and you should see how they can assist you in obtaining your prescription at a lesser cost.
8. Go Generic
As you probably know, generic drugs cost a lot less than their more expensive, name-brand counterparts.
Of course, not all drugs have a generic counterpart, so this is where doing your research is especially important. Depending on the rules that determine if a name-brand drug can be produced and sold as a generic version, your medication and its associated costs could change at any given time. As such, you’ll want to stay on top of current trends and check for generic options regularly.
For a start, you can speak with your pharmacist or insurer, and then try finding information online.
Save Money on Prescriptions Today
If you’re looking to save money on prescriptions, these 9 strategies provide a helpful place to start.
Try one or two of them out today and see what you find. You never know, you might be pleasantly surprised by just how much you can save!
Want more helpful tips that are sure to make your life easier? What about some tips on how to manage the side effects of your new prescription?
Check out the rest of our blog for them – and so much more! You’ll be happy you did.
