Sadly, not all health insurance plans cover the full costs of prescriptions. In fact, most don’t. If you suffer from a chronic illness that requires regular or near-constant medication, finding ways to save on pharmaceutical products is essential. Following are five, simple tips for keeping your spending on prescription drugs under control.
1. Choose Your Primary And Supplemental Health Care Plans Wisely
There are a number of important factors to consider when reviewing your options in both primary and supplemental health care. Most people are careful to review co-pay costs, deductibles, and premiums, but they might pay less attention to the costs of prescriptions. Make sure that this is always one of the top factors reviewed before finalizing any coverage decisions. If you’ve never ordered medication for a chronic illness before, you’ll be surprised by just how costly certain pills can be. Most people will pay far more in prescription costs over time than they will in either co-payments or deductibles.
2. Use Supplemental Coverage To Offset These Charges
Even if you have a fairly comprehensive, primary insurance plan, if you’re still spending a lot of money out-of-pocket to get your prescriptions filled, then you probably need a secondary policy to fill in this critical gap. Supplemental coverage isn’t just for people who want access to a much broader range of treatment options or medical services. It can also be used for limiting the financial stress caused by deductibles, co-payments and prescription costs. For a relatively nominal monthly fee, you can dramatically reduce the amount that you have to pay each time a new prescription or refill must be picked up.
3. Consider Shopping Online
You don’t have to use a local pharmacy to get the prescriptions you need. There are countless people who are taking to the web to get their medications. Using a Canadian pharmacy won’t just expose you to lower prices, it can also give you greater access to generic versions of the drugs your doctors have prescribed. When using these companies, however, make sure to screen them carefully and pay attention to any service-specific feedback that other consumers have left online.
4. Talk To Your Doctor
If you’re having a hard time accessing the medications you need, be sure to mention this to your doctor. This professional may be able to put together a more affordable treatment plan by choosing alternate and less costly medications, or by suggesting natural remedies that you can try on your own at home. For doctors, this is far preferable to writing prescriptions and never having them filled. It also ensures that painful and potentially fatal conditions are never allowed to spiral out of control.
5. Find Out If Over-The-Counter Options Exist
Some drugs have to be obtained from pharmacies. Others, however, may be available right at your local drug store. With these medicines, it’s almost always cheaper to buy them directly off the shelf rather than at the pharmacy window. Another important thing to note about getting your prescription drugs in-store is that small, family-owned businesses usually have much lower prices than big grocery store chains.
6. Switch To Another Pharmacy
Many pharmacies have special incentives that they offer to customers who switch to their services. Best of all, you can qualify for these incentives even if you don’t intend to keep your business at a specific pharmacy for very long. Pay careful attention to the different incentives that are being offered in your area, and switch pharmacies as often as you’re able in order to benefit from these significant discounts.
With a little planning and ingenuity, you can get all of the medications you need without having to pay a fortune in the process. By switching pharmacies to get high-value incentives, being forthright with your doctor, and exploring your options online, you can dramatically reduce this portion of your overhead costs. In fact, the more flexible you are in where you get your medicines and about whether or not you’re willing to accept generic brands; the more money you’ll ultimately save.
About Jammie Morey
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