Shop Around for the Best Price
The same kind of comparison shopping you might do for a car or a coffeemaker can pay off for drugs.
• Buy by mail. If your prescription drugs are covered by insurance, see if the insurer has a mail-order pharmacy. Some offer lower co-payments.
• Call around. You’ll find that drug prices vary from store to store. Try independent pharmacies, national chains, and megastores such as Wal-Mart and Costco.
• Go online. You can find bargains or quickly compare drug prices on the Internet. (If you don’t have a computer, the ones at your public library are free to use, and many librarians will help you find information.) Many brick-andmortar pharmacies have websites that offer discounts on prescription drugs. So do “virtual” pharmacies, which do all their business online. For the most part, shopping for prescription drugs online is safe. One way to tell if the site is legitimate is the VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) seal of approval from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. You can also check with the board to see if an online pharmacy is licensed and in good standing.
Join a Group
Some organizations offer savings on prescription drugs as a perk. If you’re a member of AARP, for example, you can join its MembeRx Choice plan for $20 a year. It offers savings on topselling
drugs. If you served in the military, you may be eligible for the TRICARE Pharmacy or Senior Pharmacy programs. Buying groups such as the Peoples Prescription Plan and the United States
Pharmaceutical Group also offer savings and are open to everyone. (Find more information in the Resources.)
Look for Low-Income Options
Some money-saving options are aimed at low- to middle-income seniors without any drug insurance. The Together Rx Card, for example, provides savings on more than 150 widely prescribed medicines. Some states provide assistance with prescription drugs to low-income seniors or people with disabilities who do notqualify for Medicaid. To quickly find out if your state has such a benefit or if you qualify for other programs, try the National Council on the Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp Web site. (For more information, see the Resources.)
Reduce Your Need for Drugs
If you’re serious about cutting your drug bill, get serious about adopting a healthier lifestyle, which may cut the need for medication. Don’t stop taking your pills first and then try to make lifestyle changes. Make the changes first. When you start getting results, then talk with your doctor about medication changes.
The same kind of comparison shopping you might do for a car or a coffeemaker can pay off for drugs.
• Buy by mail. If your prescription drugs are covered by insurance, see if the insurer has a mail-order pharmacy. Some offer lower co-payments.
• Call around. You’ll find that drug prices vary from store to store. Try independent pharmacies, national chains, and megastores such as Wal-Mart and Costco.
• Go online. You can find bargains or quickly compare drug prices on the Internet. (If you don’t have a computer, the ones at your public library are free to use, and many librarians will help you find information.) Many brick-andmortar pharmacies have websites that offer discounts on prescription drugs. So do “virtual” pharmacies, which do all their business online. For the most part, shopping for prescription drugs online is safe. One way to tell if the site is legitimate is the VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) seal of approval from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. You can also check with the board to see if an online pharmacy is licensed and in good standing.
Join a Group
Some organizations offer savings on prescription drugs as a perk. If you’re a member of AARP, for example, you can join its MembeRx Choice plan for $20 a year. It offers savings on topselling
drugs. If you served in the military, you may be eligible for the TRICARE Pharmacy or Senior Pharmacy programs. Buying groups such as the Peoples Prescription Plan and the United States
Pharmaceutical Group also offer savings and are open to everyone. (Find more information in the Resources.)
Look for Low-Income Options
Some money-saving options are aimed at low- to middle-income seniors without any drug insurance. The Together Rx Card, for example, provides savings on more than 150 widely prescribed medicines. Some states provide assistance with prescription drugs to low-income seniors or people with disabilities who do notqualify for Medicaid. To quickly find out if your state has such a benefit or if you qualify for other programs, try the National Council on the Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp Web site. (For more information, see the Resources.)
Reduce Your Need for Drugs
If you’re serious about cutting your drug bill, get serious about adopting a healthier lifestyle, which may cut the need for medication. Don’t stop taking your pills first and then try to make lifestyle changes. Make the changes first. When you start getting results, then talk with your doctor about medication changes.
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