Anyone who takes medicine knows that the cost of prescription medication is rising in this country. For a lot of us, prescriptions help us live a more productive, happier life, but only if we can afford to take them. Here are some ideas that may help you pay less.
1. Talk to your doctor. Not being able to afford medications is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your doctor wants to know everything that affects your healthcare, including whether or not you can pay for your medications. If the price means you may not fill your prescriptions and take your medicine, then it is important to be honest about this with your doctor. Taking your prescriptions helps him help you! There may be a cheaper generic drug or a similar medicine that you can take, but your doctor may not consider these unless you explain that you cannot pay for the more expensive drug. Your doctor may also have samples of your medicine that he can give you at no cost.
2. Shop around. Studies have shown that prices can vary a substantial amount from pharmacy to pharmacy. Surprisingly, a medicine may be cheaper at one pharmacy than at another. As much as you may like to have everything at one store and may like a particular pharmacist, shop around to help lower your prescription medicine costs. You should ask your pharmacy if it can match the lower price. You can also ask the pharmacist for part of the prescription if there is the possibility that the side effects will mean you cannot take this drug. Ask your pharmacist if you can fill the rest of the prescription at no extra cost if the prescription works for you.
3. Consider buying online. Savings can be huge. Some very reputable Canadian drug stores offer the original, brand name medicine and can save you up to 70%! Be very cautious though. Do not buy from sites that will sell prescription medicines without a prescription. That is the first sign that they are not legit. If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't true - don't send money or a credit card number.
4. Look for $4.00 Generics. Recently, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Target announced that their stores now offer generic medicine for $4.00 per prescription fill or refill. Walgreens and other pharmacies are considering meeting this price. Be aware that not all generic drugs are offered through these programs and some local pharmacies have been offering the drugs, on the lists, at a similar price. Some critics say that this pricing is a "bait and switch" tactic because many of the drugs on the lists are older generics that are rarely used. For example, Wal-Mart hopes people who can't get their medication for $4.00 may buy it at the higher price then shop at the store before leaving.
5. Study your medical benefits carefully. If you have health insurance, know what is covered and whether or not there is a limit to the total amount of coverage each year. You can get help with insurance questions through a SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program).
6. Look for Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs). If you have a low income and haven't checked out these programs, do so. Rx Help is available to individuals who meet criteria set by each individual drug company. PAPs provide low-cost or free medication for those who qualify. Remember to look for all your medicines, not just the most expensive.
7. Check out Assistance for Specific Diseases and Conditions. In this category, you can find help with a variety of medical expenses, ranging from insurance co-pay assistance to medical supplies. These programs are listed by particular ailment and are sometimes limited to specific geographic areas.
There is Rx help out there; you just need to be creative and assertive to get the medicine that you desperately need.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Help With Prescriptions - How to Save Money on Your Medicine
Anyone who takes medicine knows that the cost of prescription medication is rising in this country. For a lot of us, prescriptions help us live a more productive, happier life, but only if we can afford to take them. Here are some ideas that may help you pay less.
1.Talk to your doctor. Not being able to afford medications is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your doctor wants to know everything that affects your healthcare, including whether or not you can pay for your medications. If the price means you may not fill your prescriptions and take your medicine, then it is important to be honest about this with your doctor. Taking your prescriptions helps him help you! There may be a cheaper generic drug or a similar medicine that you can take, but your doctor may not consider these unless you explain that you cannot pay for the more expensive drug. Your doctor may also have samples of your medicine that he can give you at no cost.
2. Shop around. Studies have shown that prices can vary a substantial amount from pharmacy to pharmacy. Surprisingly, a medicine may be cheaper at one pharmacy than at another. As much as you may like to have everything at one store and may like a particular pharmacist, shop around to help lower your prescription medicine costs. You should ask your pharmacy if it can match the lower price. You can also ask the pharmacist for part of the prescription if there is the possibility that the side effects will mean you cannot take this drug. Ask your pharmacist if you can fill the rest of the prescription at no extra cost if the prescription works for you.
3. Consider buying online. Savings can be huge. Some very reputable Canadian drug stores offer the original, brand name medicine and can save you up to 70%! Be very cautious though. Do not buy from sites that will sell prescription medicines without a prescription. That is the first sign that they are not legit. If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't true - don't send money or a credit card number.
4. Look for $4.00 Generics. Recently, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Target announced that their stores now offer generic medicine for $4.00 per prescription fill or refill. Walgreens and other pharmacies are considering meeting this price. Be aware that not all generic drugs are offered through these programs and some local pharmacies have been offering the drugs, on the lists, at a similar price. Some critics say that this pricing is a "bait and switch" tactic because many of the drugs on the lists are older generics that are rarely used. For example, Wal-Mart hopes people who can't get their medication for $4.00 may buy it at the higher price then shop at the store before leaving.
5. Study your medical benefits carefully. If you have health insurance, know what is covered and whether or not there is a limit to the total amount of coverage each year. You can get help with insurance questions through a SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program).
6. Look for Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs). If you have a low income and haven't checked out these programs, do so. Rx Help is available to individuals who meet criteria set by each individual drug company. PAPs provide low-cost or free medication for those who qualify. Remember to look for all your medicines, not just the most expensive.
7. Check out Assistance for Specific Diseases and Conditions. In this category, you can find help with a variety of medical expenses, ranging from insurance co-pay assistance to medical supplies. These programs are listed by particular ailment and are sometimes limited to specific geographic areas.
There is Rx help out there; you just need to be creative and assertive to get the medicine that you desperately need.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Great News for Low Income Families
Great news for low income families
If you are single and your annual income is less than $20,000.00 or if you are married with an annual income of less than $20,500.00 you could get your prescriptions for free. Larger families can have even greater incomes and still qualify. Pharmaceutical Companies Helping Patients Get Their Medicines No one should have to make the choice between paying rent or buying food and getting prescription filled nevertheless, there are millions of Americans that are forced to make that decision every day. Close to 50 million Americans have no health insurance; even more have coverage that is limited. Most cannot afford health care at all, and, if they can, they do not have prescription coverage. Help is available for people who can't afford their medicines. These programs, frequently called Prescription Assistance Programs (PAPs) are available for low-income, uninsured Americans. These programs are designed to help those in need obtain their medicines at no cost or very low cost. Most pharmaceutical companies have PAPs. The manufacturers who have programs do so for various reasons. Some believe that they have a corporate social obligation to help those who can't afford their products. Others believe it's a good marketing tool. More than 5 million Americans enrolled in patient assistance programs in 2005. Over 14 billion prescriptions were filled for patients in the program. By making prescription medication available to those that can't afford it, health care costs resulting from non treatment of chronic conditions are better controlled and help reduce the impact of inflation on health care.
In addition to drug company programs, there are several organizations that can provide discounts or can help patients with application paperwork for other existing programs. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance Program provides low-income and uninsured patients with the paperwork they need for more than 475 patient assistance programs. They have a very aggressive marketing campaign with talk show host Montell Williams as their spokesperson. In addition to helping patients with drug programs, they also help those who may be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and state child health insurance programs.
Representatives of the manufacturers, for instance, seemed to believe that offering information via websites, toll-free numbers is essentially all that patients need to access PAPs. They don't appear to appreciate the inability of many (most?) patients, particularly those on multiple medications from 2 or more doctors to follow through with the application process. It also places an unfair burden on the medical practice that is already overburdened with paperwork.
If you are single and your annual income is less than $20,000.00 or if you are married with an annual income of less than $20,500.00 you could get your prescriptions for free. Larger families can have even greater incomes and still qualify. Pharmaceutical Companies Helping Patients Get Their Medicines No one should have to make the choice between paying rent or buying food and getting prescription filled nevertheless, there are millions of Americans that are forced to make that decision every day. Close to 50 million Americans have no health insurance; even more have coverage that is limited. Most cannot afford health care at all, and, if they can, they do not have prescription coverage. Help is available for people who can't afford their medicines. These programs, frequently called Prescription Assistance Programs (PAPs) are available for low-income, uninsured Americans. These programs are designed to help those in need obtain their medicines at no cost or very low cost. Most pharmaceutical companies have PAPs. The manufacturers who have programs do so for various reasons. Some believe that they have a corporate social obligation to help those who can't afford their products. Others believe it's a good marketing tool. More than 5 million Americans enrolled in patient assistance programs in 2005. Over 14 billion prescriptions were filled for patients in the program. By making prescription medication available to those that can't afford it, health care costs resulting from non treatment of chronic conditions are better controlled and help reduce the impact of inflation on health care.
In addition to drug company programs, there are several organizations that can provide discounts or can help patients with application paperwork for other existing programs. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance Program provides low-income and uninsured patients with the paperwork they need for more than 475 patient assistance programs. They have a very aggressive marketing campaign with talk show host Montell Williams as their spokesperson. In addition to helping patients with drug programs, they also help those who may be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and state child health insurance programs.
Representatives of the manufacturers, for instance, seemed to believe that offering information via websites, toll-free numbers is essentially all that patients need to access PAPs. They don't appear to appreciate the inability of many (most?) patients, particularly those on multiple medications from 2 or more doctors to follow through with the application process. It also places an unfair burden on the medical practice that is already overburdened with paperwork.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Free Medicine
You can also get
Rx HELP from this organization. If you dont qualify you can buy you medicine the safe secure way from
Community Drugs
Rx HELP from this organization. If you dont qualify you can buy you medicine the safe secure way from
Community Drugs
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Preferred Prescription Assistance
Here is a Social Network dedicated to helping needy people get the
medicine they desperately need.
Prescription Assistance
Prescriptions Help
medicine they desperately need.
Prescription Assistance
Prescriptions Help
Sunday, November 9, 2008
How to get your Brand Name Medicine for free
Now that you know there are programs out there to help you get your much needed medicine, how do you know if you qualify? Here are the General Qualification Guidelines:
1)Annual gross income must be less than outlined below.
2)You must not have insurance coverage that pays for your medicine.
3)You must be a legal US citizen or resident.
Income Guidelines:
2008 FEDERAL POVERTY ANNUAL GUIDELINES:
FAMILY SIZE 200% of FPL
1 $20,800
2 $28,000
3 $35,200
4 $42,400
5 $49,600
6 $56,800
7 $64,000
8 $71,200
Free Medicine
1)Annual gross income must be less than outlined below.
2)You must not have insurance coverage that pays for your medicine.
3)You must be a legal US citizen or resident.
Income Guidelines:
2008 FEDERAL POVERTY ANNUAL GUIDELINES:
FAMILY SIZE 200% of FPL
1 $20,800
2 $28,000
3 $35,200
4 $42,400
5 $49,600
6 $56,800
7 $64,000
8 $71,200
Free Medicine
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