If you follow the press, you may have noticed there has been a recent barrage of overpriced medications for a lot of people. These prices have been growing, and it’s incredibly difficult for those who don’t have the health insurance to cover it. Prices are rising on many types of medications, including the common antibiotics that have been available for many years. That’s why it is more important than ever to shop smart for your medications, no matter how old you are, or what your medical predicament is at the time.
How to Make an Intelligent Selection
Your first order of business is to look at multiple pharmacies before getting a prescription. Just like any other business, it is important to shop around, so you know you’re getting the best deal around. If you don’t have insurance, there are a lot of other pharmacies you can look at that have some of the lowest-cost meds around.
There are a lot of great online services out there, as well. For one, there is the Nationwide Prescription Connection, which is helpful in securing proper financial assistance. Shopping intelligently is a smart way to start when getting your pills for a health issue.
Another quick tip is simply increasing the amount of medicine in one prescription. For example, ask the doctor to write you a prescription for 90 days instead of 30 or 60 days. This will help you avoid having to go back and forth to the pharmacy. It also lessens the price you pay for copays.
Know Your Coverage Options
There are times that your plans will make you face paying the entire cost of the medicine at once. Before you go all out and empty your wallet out for the upfront cost, stop for a second. There is a chance for you to appeal to your insurer.
For the most part, insurance companies are going to cover any medical necessities that arise out of a condition, and this includes the medicine you should be prescribed, too. If you are denied coverage, that denial letter can be the means for you to work out a plan with your doctor, and then you’ll be able to cover the expense of your medicine.
Finding Financial Assistance
Many companies today have created programs to assist patients with coming up with a viable type of payment plan. Many companies give out billions of dollars a year to those in need of it. The idea is to make sure these drugs reach the people who need them the most, and affordably, too.
Financial help from medical companies responsible for manufacturing the medicines is prevalent, but only in the big brand name drugs. There is generally more of a discount for those in the middle class, as well. There is a set of criteria to determine if you qualify for these pills.
The first eligibility requirements are that you have citizenship, are uninsured and have no coverage for medicine. Also, there are some requirements specific to the direct diagnosis or disease you may have. The major requirement for most of these assistance programs is that there has been some input from the doctor responsible for making the prescription.
Another aspect of financial help is through coverage for the copay, if you already have drug coverage through your health care plan. There are other organizations out there that focus on helping those with specific diseases, as well.
There are various types of drug discounts out there available to people, such as pharmaceutical companies that offer a discount for a certain kind of drug or to treat a specific disease. In addition, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the American Automobile Association (AAA) offer medication discounts for seniors, as well.
Savings Made Easy
Another way to limit your expenses is by choosing an adequate insurance plan for your individual circumstances. You’ll have to choose what to do in your next enrollment period. For those that have chronic health issues or have to take medication on a regular basis, they’ll have to be extra careful on the type of plan they enroll in by checking what they cover.
There are a lot of things to avoid, like a high deductible plan. Look at all of these plans thoroughly, so when you’re buying medicine, it doesn’t cost even more for you. Sometimes the higher premium will leave you with lower costs you pay upfront. There are pros to weigh with each, but with these tips in mind, you can save money on any potential medication costs.
About Georgina Walton
Georgina Walton knows how expensive prescription medications can be, but being a frugal woman she has found solutions. She writes about being a carer for her 90-year-old mom and how to be frugal, along with other lifestyle topics.
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