Prescription medications can certainly take a hefty chunk out of your monthly budget. You can control your costs by speaking with your physician and looking for alternatives to your local pharmacy. Here are a few tips to help you save money on prescriptions.
How to Save Money on Prescriptions
Consider generic alternatives
Most popular medications have generic alternatives that are identical on a molecular level. They have the same effects and side effects of name-brand drugs at a fraction of the cost, so they’re well worth your consideration.
Very few generic medications act differently from name-brand prescriptions, but you should still speak with your physician before you switch.
If generic drugs aren’t available as alternatives to your prescription, ask your doctor about other drugs in the same class.
By exploring your options, you can often save 50 percent or more off of the cost of your medications. This is a great way to save money on prescriptions.
Buy your medications online
Online pharmacies are safe and inexpensive. However, remember to look for a certification from either the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS), or in Canada, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA).
These certifications show that the pharmacy is legitimate and trustworthy. Be sure that the company you are dealing with is legitimate!
Compare prices from a few different pharmacies before you buy and make sure to check the site’s security credentials before you enter any payment information.
Safe websites have Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, and your browser should show a small lock icon to indicate that the site uses safe encryption technology.
Never buy medication from a website that does not have the lock icon! Insecure websites are a very good clue that the company is not legitimate.
Look into discount drug cards
Discount cards basically act as a supplemental form of health insurance. They take over where your health insurance plan leaves off, providing you with a discount on many types of prescription medications.
Compare prices carefully and read the fine print before buying discount drug cards. They’re not always worth the money.
Also, they might not supplement your health insurance policy in a meaningful way, but they’re an effective solution for some patients.
Never discontinue your medication to save money. Instead, speak with your physician and your insurance provider if you have trouble paying for your medicine.
Consider all of the tips above and you should be able to keep your monthly medical expenditures under control. These are some of the ways you can save money on prescriptions.
Taking care of your health should be your primary consideration. If you can make changes to your diet, would that help you get off the medication?
This is something to talk about with your doctor. Making diet and lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating healthy, not drinking excessively – these are all things to take into consideration. Your health is the most important thing you have!
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