This is non AN related but i felt that it might be helpful to others to share what I've learned the past few months.
Due to a combination of falling into a older age bracket and the increased in health coverage rates my monthly premium rate sky rocketed and we found ourselves without prescription coverage.
I've learned the following
Don't assume that drug prices are the same everywhere. Prices vary greatly.
As an example for the same drug, prices varied from $7.92 to $39.19 today for
one medication. Take the time to call around within a reasonable driving distance.
Don't assume that the bigger chains are cheaper, or that because you found one drug cheaper there, that all drugs will be cheaper. If using multiple pharmacies be sure and let each one know all medications that are being taken. Pharmacies will give written price quotes all you have to do is ask. They will also give you the info over the phone.
Be pro active, ask not only your doctor but the pharmacist questions about the drug being prescribe. As an example we found that a lower dose of a drug ran $336. for a hundred, a higher mg ran $686. but at 500mg I found from the pharmacist that the drug was available in genaric form for a cost of $136. per hundred. This is a significant saving.
I asked the pharmacy to print out the quotes and took the info back to our doctor who was glad to rewrite the prescription. He was unaware that at 500 mg a genaric drug was available. So be sure and ask questions. By the way the pharmacy did not volunteer the information, the info came from direct questions regarding what strengths were available and the costs.
If you're dealing with a chronic on going conditon that requires long term presription use be aware that there is significant savings in buying in quanity
We found a 30 pill prescription was in the $60.00 range, but the cost for 100 pills
was $136. Today, on the advice of our doctor I asked what the cost would be for 200 pills. Turns out $176. This is a huge saving. Quanity savings seem to stop at the 200 pill limit.
I hope this information will help others without drug coverage in reducing the cost of prescriptions drugs.
Best to all
Raydean
