Prescription Assistance

TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY ON PRESCRIPTIONS

Ask your physician’s office if there are any samples available.

Ask your physician if you can substitute a generic drug for the brand name.

Ask your pharmacist to recommend a less expensive substitute, then check with your physician to make sure the substitutions are appropriate for you.

Shop around at different drug stores for the best price.  Be sure the pharmacist knows all the medications you are taking including any over the counter medications.

Find out how long you will have to take the prescribed medication so you do not end up with more of the medication than you may need.

Ask if your pharmacist is willing to match a lower price offered by another pharmacy/drugstore.

Ask your pharmacist about senior discounts.

You may be able to purchase less than the full prescription, if you are only able to buy a portion of the medication at a time.  Discuss this with your pharmacist.

If you/or your spouse have been in the military, you may be able to get your medications at lower cost.  Contact the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System to update your address at 1-800-538-9552.  Tricare is the Pharmacy program for the military and can be reached at 1-800-903-4680.  You may also contact the Atlanta VA at 404-321-6111.

MANUFACTURERS’ AND STORE DRUG DISCOUNTS

Call for further information or check their websites to ask about specific drug coverage on these programs.

• Publix.com – 14 day supply of select antibiotics for FREE

• Walmart.com – 30 day supply of select generic drugs for $4

• Target.com – 30 day supply of select generic drugs for $4

• Kmart.com – 3 month supply of select generic drugs for $15

• Pharmacy Discount Network – Get a free pharmacy savings card that you can use instantly and start saving up to 75% on thousands of prescription drugs.

• pparx.org – find the RX program for your state

• Eli Lilly – With the “LillyAnswers” discount card, low-income seniors can get a 30-day supply of Lilly retail drugs such as Prozac and Vista, an osteoporosis drug for just $12 a month. To qualify for the card, seniors must have income of less than $18,000 a year as singles or $24,000 as couples. The card will be honored at CVS, Longs and Wal-Mart pharmacies. Call 1-877-RX-LILLY to apply.

• GlaxoSmithKline – GSK is starting the “Orange Card” program, which gives elderly people who qualify 25 percent off their prescriptions. You must be 65 or older and have annual incomes of at or less than $26,000 for individuals or $35,000 for a couple. Check back to this site for updates on how to register. To read an article about the GSK plan, click here.

• Together Rx Card: – Call 1-800-865-7211 for more information. Receive 20% – 40% savings on select drugs.  Several drug companies participate:  Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis.  Annual Income Below:  $28,000/Individual or $38,000/Couple.

• Phizer – savings programs http://www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com/pages/Find/FindAll.aspx

• Rxaminer – For a $10 fee, Rxaminer will permit users to enter all current prescriptions and returns a list of available generic or other suggested brands for less money.

• The Medicine Program – The prescription discount program is available to those with family incomes ranging from below the national poverty level to $60,000 who don’t have health insurance. Call 573-996-7300 and ask for an application. Or, check the Phrma Web site Phrma.org for a list of drug companies.

More tips to consider:

  • Consider online purchases that could typically save 20% to 30%.
  • Many consumers find very low prices purchasing prescription drugs from Canada.
  • Are you over age 50? AARP offers discounts on mail-in orders.
  • Are you a member of a managed care health program? Consider a 90-day supply of your medicine vs. a one-month supply. You’ll pay one co-payment vs. three.
  • Ask if your medication is cheaper in a higher milligram dose. Then, cut the tablet as needed for your proper dose. This method can save up to 75% of the cost.
  • Always ask if a generic brand of your prescribed medicine is cheaper.