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Increasing medication cost is one of the greatest contributing factors to medical inflation. But there are things that you can do as a consumer to help keep your out-of-poket expenses for prescription drugs as low as possible. Here are five ways to keep the lid on costs.
1. Use drugs from the Preferred Medication List.
If you have a three-tier pharmacy benefit, you save money
when your doctor prescribes a drug from our Preferred
Medication List, because your copayment is lower. You
save the most by using generic drugs on the list. The
Preferred Medication List contains the majority of the
most-used drugs in the United States. And we keep adding
more.
2. Use generic drugs.
More than a third of all prescriptions
in the U.S. today are filled with generic drugs. If you need a
prescription drug, always ask your doctor if he or she can
prescribe a generic. (A generic drug on the Preferred
Medication List is even better!) These drugs cost between
20 percent and 75 percent less than their brand-name
equivalent* because they do not share the initial investment
costs incurred by brand medications. Generics become
available once the brand drug’s patent expires. Under FDA
regulations, generics must contain the same active
ingredients and be the same in strength and dosage as the
original brand-name drug. Many generics are manufactured
by the same companies that manufacture the brand-name
drugs.
3. Use the mail-order service.
If our Walgreens mail
order pharmacy program is part of your plan and you
regularly take medication for a chronic condition, consider
using the service. It’s convenient and can save you money.
The program enables you to receive up to a 90-day supply
of drugs for a copayment that would normally cover two
30-day supplies at your pharmacy. Walgreens’ number is
1-800-999-2655.
4. Don’t take unnecessary medications.
Antibiotics are
only effective against bacterial infections, not viruses that
cause colds and sore throats. Taken when they are not
needed, antibiotics can lead to the development of tough
bacteria called “superbugs” that are actually resistant to the
drugs. That puts you at risk for developing an infection that
cannot be cured with antibiotics in the future.
5. Consider over-the-counter options.
For a number of
conditions, such as allergies, arthritis, pain or stomach
problems, many good over-the-counter medications are
available, including some that used to require a prescription.
Your pharmacist can assist you in making good
over-the-counter remedy choices. Be sure to keep your
physicians aware of any over-the-counter drugs you may be
taking.
*Source: FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
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