7 of the Best Ways to Save Money on Prescription Drugs
Studies have shown that almost 50% of Americans take at least one prescription drug these days. Nearly 25% of people take three or more of them.
But unfortunately, a lot of the people who are using prescription drugs at the moment have a tough time affording them. One recent poll indicated that about one out of every four prescription drug users struggles to pay for medications.
If you’re a part of this statistic, there are ways you can save money on prescription drugs. You can get access to the drugs you need without breaking the bank by buying them.
Here are seven of the most effective ways to save money on prescription drugs moving forward.
1. Ask Your Doctor for Free Prescription Drug Samples
If your doctor just prescribed you a drug that you’re only going to be taking for a week or two, ask them if they have a sample of the drug handy.
Many doctors receive free prescription drug samples from pharmaceutical companies. They often have these samples right in their offices and are willing to give them out to people to try.
Free samples of a prescription drug probably won’t help you if your doctor is putting you on a drug that you’re going to have to take for months or even years to come. But they can help you if you’re only going to be taking a drug for a few days or weeks.
2. See If Your Doctor Can Provide You With Prescription Drug Coupons
If your doctor doesn’t have any free samples of the prescription drug that you need to start taking available, don’t give up. There might be other ways you can save money on prescription drugs.
One of the easiest ways is by asking your doctor if they might have coupons for the drugs you need. Some pharmaceutical companies will give doctors coupons as opposed to free samples to encourage them to give their patients certain drugs.
Your doctor might be able to cut your prescription drug costs by providing you with a coupon that you can use at your local pharmacy. They might also be able to speak with you about coupons that you can find elsewhere for your specific prescription drugs.
3. Find Out If Your Doctor Can Prescribe You Generic Drugs
If the drug that your doctor is prescribing to you has been around for a few years now, there is a pretty good chance that there’s a generic version of it.
Generic prescription drugs contain the same ingredients as name-brand prescription drugs. They also produce the same results. But they’re often available at just a fraction of the cost of their name-brand counterparts.
See if your doctor can recommend a generic prescription drug in place of a name-brand one. That alone can save you a small fortune when you go to get your prescription filled.
4. Check With Your Doctor About Getting a Larger Prescription Drug Supply
When you go to the grocery store and buy a 24-pack of toilet paper, you’ll pay a lot less per roll than you would if you were to buy a 4-pack of toilet paper.
This same concept applies when it comes to prescription drugs. When you buy a 90-day supply of prescription drugs, it’ll cost a lot less than a 30-day supply in most instances.
Your doctor might not feel comfortable giving you such a large supply if they suspect they might have to change your dosage up in a month or two. But most times, doctors don’t have any problem giving patients a larger supply of prescription drugs if it’ll save them some money.
5. Shop Around for the Right Prices on Prescription Drugs
When people have a prescription from their doctor filled, they tend to do it at the pharmacy closest to their home. It’s more convenient to pick it up at that pharmacy as opposed to the one halfway across town.
But what if we told you that buying prescription drugs at the pharmacy halfway across town could be less expensive than buying them at your usual pharmacy? You probably wouldn’t have any problem driving a few extra minutes to save some money.
Believe it or not, two pharmacies located in close proximity to one another might have two different prices on the same prescription drugs. Shop around to see which pharmacy will give you the best deal.
6. Consider Ordering Prescription Drugs From an Online Pharmacy
People can buy just about anything that they want online these days. And that includes prescription drugs!
These are online pharmacies that sell the prescriptions people need for way less than brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Learn more about how to find the right online pharmacy based on the prescription drugs that you need today.
7. Figure Out If You Qualify for Prescription Drug Assistance Programs
If all else fails and you can’t seem to find any ways to save money on prescription drugs, check out the assistance programs that are in place.
Some pharmaceutical companies have assistance programs set up for those who use their prescription drugs. Call on the company that manufactures your prescription drugs to see if they can help.
Some individual states have assistance programs set up for people as well. These programs can help you get your hands on the prescription drugs you need at a deep discount.
Your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction when you’re in need of assistance. Whatever you do, don’t neglect to take prescription drugs because you don’t think you can afford them. There are solutions out there to this problem.
Start Trying to Save Money on Prescription Drugs
If you’re struggling to pay for prescription drugs every month, change that today by using the tips found here. You can save money on prescription drugs and make sure that you don’t ever have to go without them.
It all starts with speaking to your doctor about your inability to pay for your prescription drugs. They can help you find a way to get the drugs you need in a hurry without spending an arm and a leg.
Browse through our blog for more information on using online pharmacies to obtain prescription drugs.