Taking prescription drugs can have amazing benefits to help curb or eliminate the symptoms of many diseases and disorders ranging from diabetes and high blood pressure to unhealthy cholesterol levels. But prescription drug prices that seem to be constantly escalating can prove a hardship to many individuals and families. It pays to become a savvy consumer in order to avoid feeling financially strapped paying for the prescription drugs that benefit your overall health. Here are 5 easy tips to beat rising prescription drug prices.
1. Ask your doctor if you can substitute a generic drug for a brand name prescription drug. Many generic drugs that do the same job as more expensive brand-name medicines can end up costing you only one-fifth as much as their more costly counterparts and you still get the same good results. Generics pass the same strict scrutiny from the FDA and are safe to use. If there is not a generic brand of the prescription medication available for something you are using, ask your doctor if he can prescribe an alternative drug that is more affordable if his original prescription proves to become a financial hardship for your budget.
2. Don’t be afraid to compare prices when shopping for prescription drugs, which are just like any other commodity you want to get the best price and value for. Websites such as eDrugSearch.com can prove to be an invaluable resource to help you compare prescription drug prices. Spending a few extra minutes doing comparison shopping will show you how widely drug prices for prescription medication vary from one source to the next and you can easily find yourself saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars because you located a cheaper yet just as reliable source for your medications as your local pharmacy.
3. Ordering your prescription medications online not only saves you time but also money. It can be a drag to stand in line at the pharmacy counter at your local drugstore to give in your prescription form only to be told to come back at a later time to pick up your order. Online prescription drug orders can be done in the privacy and comfort of your own home and your order can be shipped directly to your doorstep.
4. Ask about financial assistance programs to help you beat rising prescription drug costs. Search the internet for cost-free programs and reduced-cost programs you may qualify for depending upon your income, your financial circumstances and your age.
5. Invest in an affordable health insurance policy that covers all or some of your drug costs. In addition to beating rising prescription drug prices, you’ll also be entitled to use your insurance on doctor visits and other medical tests and procedures when necessary.
As many of you may have already noticed, there has been an increase in how much you pay for your drugs. Although inflation remained flat for the year ending in March 2010, the prices for brand-name drugs went up nearly 10 percent, according to AARP.
A recent report on prescription drug prices from The Sun News,
“Last year, the inflation rate was 0.3 percent, but drug prices went up over 9.7 percent,” said John Rother, executive vice president for policy at AARP. “That’s quite a contrast.”
And the price hikes don’t just affect people on Medicare.
Rother says the population aged 50 to 64 represents the biggest increase in people taking drugs, and for some of the most common conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
“The compounded effect is to raise the cost of prescription brand-name drugs way beyond people’s ability to pay,” he said, “particularly if they don’t have insurance.”
The rise in drug prices have really cut into the budget of many all over the US. In South Carolina for example, 713,000 people pay nearly 30 percent of their income on out-of-pocket medical costs including drugs.
The rise in prescription prices is being blamed on no countervailing pressure in the industry.
John Rother, executive vice president for policy at AARP says drug companies raise prices because “there is no countervailing pressure.” Moreover, he says, on average, the industry’s profit margin is about 20 percent.
“We want them to succeed, to be innovators,” he said. “But there’s a need to balance that with reasonable costs.”
Until a true solution can be found, Rother recommends that consumers should try to substitute generic drugs when possible, however not every drug has a generic equivalent available.
We recommend that you take full advantage of the resources here at eDrugSearch.com and join the community of educated consumers that are saving drastically on their prescription medications.
Not only will you find the safest pharmacies with the cheapest drug prices, you will also be able to save an additional ten percent off your drug orders by simply participating in our online community.
