With the economic state still in slow recovery it can be difficult to afford prescription drugs. It was discovered last year that 28 percent of Americans are taking dangerous risks to cut costs. These risks include leaving their prescription unfilled, skipping dosages, and cutting pills in half without the approval from a doctor. Thankfully there are other safer ways you can save money without having to put your health at risk.
Don’t Purchase New Drugs – Just like computers and phones, new doesn’t mean better. Sometimes older versions are actually superior to new drugs. Drugs like Clarinex (for seasonal allergies) are much more expensive than Claritin and studies propose that it is just as effective. New drugs are almost always more expensive
Avoid Samples – A lot of doctors offices have a stocked “sample closet” with free prescription drug samples for numerous conditions. Instead of taking a month of a drug you pay for some doctors are generous enough to offer those in a state of financial difficulty cheaper medication. Although this may seem like a good idea, it actually ends up costing more in the long run. When the samples run out patients are forced to buy the more expensive medication they have been trying rather than changing to a drug that although cheaper, their body is not yet used to. A study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine showed that it actually costs people $7 more each month in the long run when using samples to start off.
Use Generic Alternatives – When your doctor prescribes you a new medication choosing the generic form of the medication is much less costly and just as efficient. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients and are not any less quality than brand name drugs. If you are taking more than one medication it’s even possible that there is a generic drug that combines those medications.
Buy Bulk – It can be cheaper to buy a medication in large amounts via mail order rather than paying for a month of medication at a time. Before spending a lot on medication by buying bulk, check with your doctor in case he is planning on altering the dosage.