The average American spends more than $1,200 each year on prescription medications. This is a huge price tag that can be too costly for most people.
Doctors will often prescribe medication for short-term or chronic illnesses. For instance, they may direct you to purchase antibiotics or a blood thinner. Unfortunately, some of the prescription medications are costly and can be beyond the reach of most people.
Luckily, you can still get prescription medication at a lower cost. Here is how you can do that.
1: Make a Price Comparison
Pharmacies don’t sell prescription medication at the same prices. Before you decide to buy at one pharmacy, it’ll be better to check the prices at four or five other pharmacies.
For instance, you can call Walmart or Target to know their prices. Visiting nearby pharmacies can also be an excellent way to find better pharmacy costs.
2: Try a Discount Program
It’s also possible to find discount coupons when searching for lower prescription prices. Some pharmacies send discount coupons via email or text messages.
3: Choose a Better Insurance Cover
Knowing the details of your medical insurance cover before you sign up is a good thing. There’s no reason why you should be paying hefty monthly premiums for a cover that can’t pay for prescription drugs.
Some insurance covers have agreements with drug manufacturers that lead to low pricing. They may also have a pharmacy price comparison tool on their website. This is a good way to know where you can find cheaper medication.
4: Go for Generic Medication
Generic medication is usually cheaper than brand-name medications. That’s because brand-name manufacturers spend a lot of money on developing the drug. As a result, they’ll sell their medication at higher prices to recoup their investment.
Generic companies simply copy the medication and produce it at a lower price. Nevertheless, you must ensure that the generics have got FDA approval.
5: Patient Assistance Programs
Pharmaceutical products manufacturers can come up with patient assistance programs. These companies draft rules that help certain categories of people to get affordable medicine. For example, people with an annual income of less than $1,000 can buy the medication at a discount.
The process of applying for a patient assistance program varies from one company to another. Your physician or medical care provider can make the application on your behalf. They’ll then submit the application via email or online form.
6: Community and State Programs
Several states and communities have programs to reduce the price of prescription medicine. For example, the elderly or disabled can get affordable or free medication.
You can visit the nearest community health center to apply for cheaper prescribed medications. If you’re successful, you’ll receive money to buy the medicine.
Learn the Safe Ways to Get Prescription Medications Cheaper
You cannot compromise when fighting a mild or chronic illness. If your doctor determines that you must take prescription medicine, then you have no other choice. However, this can only happen if you know where to buy affordable prescription medications.
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