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In these tough economic times, consumers are looking for creative ways to help make their medications more affordable. Even if you find yourself without health insurance, there are things you can do to save money on your medications. For example, many people are needlessly taking expensive brand name medications when there are  cheaper generic medications available that may work just as well. One example of this situation would be taking the brand name drug Lexapro when generic citalopram is available. Lexapro is just a slightly modified version of generic citalopram and many find that generic citalopram works just as well for them as brand name Lexapro. In this example, one could save up to $400 a year. You can check with your pharmacist to see if there are any generics available for the medications you take.
Tablet splitting is also a possibility. For example, many people find that their high cholesterol is just as well controlled on 20mg of Lipitor daily instead of 40mg. This enables them to split their 40mg tablets. In this case, switching to the 20mg tablet could save about $800 per year. However, before considering this option, check with your doctor. When choosing to try this option, ones cholesterol should be closely monitored to make sure the lower dose is still effective. It is also important to check with your doctor and pharmacist because some tablets cannot be cut because of the way the medication is formulated.
Finally, there are medication assistance programs to help those who have trouble affording their medications. Most of these programs are geared toward patients who do not have health insurance. It is important to check with each individual plan to see if you are eligible. You will find a list of these resources at the end of this article.
Make sure you consult your doctor before you consider stopping any of your medications because you feel you cannot afford them. Work closely with your doctor and pharmacist. They can help you see if there are any drugs that can be switched to a generic or if there are duplicate medications that you can eliminate. Together you may be able to find ways to save money with your prescriptions.
PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNT RESOURCES:
AARP Discount Program (877-422-7719)
AZ and Me (800-292-6363)
GSK Access (866-518-HELP)
Bridges to Access (888-825-5249)
Lily Medicare Answers (877-RX-LILLY)
Merck Patient Assistance Program (800-727-5400)
Merck Prescription Discount Program (800-50-MERCK)
Pfizer Pfriends (866-776-3700)
Pharmacy Reward (www.pharmacyreward.com)
Rx Help for You (800-613-4841)
Together Rx Access Card (800-444—4106)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
www.needymeds.com
www.rxassist.org
www.pparx.com
www.rxhope.com
www.benefitscheckup.org
www.addesstobenefits.org
Author: Christi Larson, Pharm. D.
Dr. Larson is a Clinical Infusion Pharmacist, author of Empowered Medicine; A Guide for Consumers and creator of www.empoweredmedicine.com. You can read more about her by visiting www.EmpoweredMedicine.com and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. EmpoweredMedicine.com is committed to providing evidence-based medical information.
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