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DRUG PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNTSCut the cost of prescriptions up to 70%
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In the meantime there is a lot a person can do to dramatically cut the cost of the medicines he or she is taking. Savings of 50% and more are possible. Rick Doble, editor of SAVVY-DISCOUNTS.com , adds, "With the price of drugs rising rapidly, it is important that each person take control to reduce those expenses as much as possible. With these tips, just about anyone can find a way to save on prescriptions." Drastic savings are possible. For example, Doble points out that a person who is buying brand-name drugs in small quantities could save a lot if he or she bought generic drugs in larger quantities.
---------========| The Canadian Connection |========---------- DEEP DISCOUNTS ON CANADIAN INTERNET PRESCRIPTIONS Many US citizens are breaking the law, but no one so far has been prosecuted. Both ABC World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News reported recently that seniors are buying prescription drugs via the Internet from pharmacies in Canada, a practice which is technically illegal. Why are they doing this? The cost difference is dramatic. Some seniors are saving about 80% on certain drugs. Discounts for many people seem to run about 40%. Should seniors be worried about being prosecuted? A FDA (Food and Drug Administration) official stated "We don't want to punish seniors." Canadian pharmacies are happy to help. They have a strict set of rules that are spelled out at their web sites.
In a nationally syndicated radio program about health, a doctor stated something that I had suspected for a long time. He said that store-brand vitamins and over-the-counter drugs as well as generic prescription drugs were often the exact same product as the name- brand product only with a different label. Where have we heard this before? Some months ago I was told by a drug store executive that many of their store-brand products were the same product as the national brand only with a different label. Therefore it almost always pays to try a drug store private-label product. If you don't like it, you can probably return it. However, prescription drugs cannot be returned by law. If you want to try a generic prescription drug, get a small prescription first. Make sure that it works properly, before you buy a large quantity. You might also ask your pharmacist about any of the above at his store. Many pharmacists are quite candid and will give their honest opinion.
For this interview, I spoke with Phil Alexander, Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Manager at the Kmart Pharmacy in Morehead City, North Carolina. I asked Phil how to save money on prescriptions. He explained that there were a number of ways. Generic medicines can save a considerable amount of money over a brand name. However, the doctor must indicate on the prescription form that a generic can be substituted if the patient prefers. The form varies from state to state. In some states the doctor merely checks a box; in other states the doctor signs on a different line. However, it is often up to the patient to ask the doctor to write the prescription so that generics are allowed. Generics are tested by the FDA to perform the same as brand-name drugs. However, Phil cautioned that if you are used to certain brand name drugs, and are you are being treated with blood thinners, thyroid medicines, or anti-convulsants you should probably not switch to a generic. People on "maintenance medicine" can save a considerable amount by buying large quantities at a time. Smaller quantities generally cost more money per pill and and the paper work involved costs more as well. I asked his opinion of store brands. He said store-brand over-the- counter drugs are usually just as good as the brand name and sometimes made by the same manufacturer. Many store brands are developed and tested so that they perform the same as the store brand. I wanted to know if expensive vitamins were better than other kinds. I mentioned that buying vitamins is one area where people often spend a lot of money to buy what they think is a quality product. I estimated that a consumer can pay ten times or more for such vitamins. He agreed and mentioned that some manufacturers insist their vitamins are better because they are cold processed so that the life force is still in the product. Nevertheless, he believed that there was no difference in the benefit to the person. However, he pointed out that "natural vitamins," that is vitamins with no dyes, preservatives, sugar or salt might perform better for some people. These "natural vitamins" are now available inexpensively or sold as store brands in many pharmacies. I asked him how a pharmacist should fit in with a person's overall health care. Phil pointed out that a pharmacist should be an important component. While people should shop around for the pharmacy with the best prices, they should settle on one and then buy all their drugs at that one establishment. The pharmacist needs to look at the complete list of drugs you are taking so that he or she can warn you of any side effects or interactions. If you buy your drugs at several pharmacies, no one pharmacist will be able to look at the total number of prescriptions you are taking. Phil recommended that you also find a pharmacy where the druggist will spend time explaining your medication to you. If he or she doesn't have the time, then go somewhere else. You should even be able to call him or her on the phone if need be. The pharmacist is a very valuable resource who may even have a more complete picture than your doctor of the medicines you are taking. Elderly people are sometimes over- medicated. For example, they might have two different prescriptions for similar drugs. A druggist might notice this. In some cases the pharmacist can call your doctor and recommend changes. I asked him about the best way to store and keep prescriptions. Phil stated that medicines deteriorate in a damp or hot environment. Therefore people should NOT keep them in the medicine cabinet in a bathroom. They should not be stored in a refrigerator either because it is too damp. Medicines should be stored in a place that is cool and dry. He suggested that people find a drawer in a room that stays cool and dry. However, keep them out of the reach of children, especially young children. After about a year, most drugs should be discarded. Many prescriptions these days have an expiration date on the label. Throw them away after that date. Don't try to save money by using out-of-date prescriptions.
