How to Save Money on Prescription Medication
Everything costs high these days, including medicines. For people with serious illnesses, prescription medication draws the line between life and death. The problem is that prescription medication can get very expensive, and can take a major toll on your savings. Here are some ways that you can save on your medical bills if you take prescription medication:
Buy Generic
Unless the doctor explicitly prescribes branded medication or patent medical treatment, you can save a lot of money if you buy generic medication. By law, generic brands are made from the same chemical composition, active ingredients, have the same dosage, and have the same healing and therapeutic qualities as patent-protected branded medicines.
Generic brands work best as treatments for illnesses which are not serious, like colds, fever, flu, or migraine headaches. In some cases, a doctor will insist on prescribing branded patent-protected medications because of its proven efficiency. Unless the doctor allows or recommends generics, you should stick with the branded medication if the doctor prescribes it.
Use Coupons
Many pharmacies offer discount coupons and other promos to attract customers and to help lower the high costs of prescription medicine. You can ask the pharmacist or store owner to avail of these coupons. Medical representatives may also offer discount cards and other perks to preferred customers, to elderly patients, and pharmacists.
Check Your Insurance Coverage
Some insurance policies may cover medical treatment costs for some illnesses, especially ones that require patent-protected branded medications to heal. If the cost of medication is too high for your savings to shoulder, you may need to consult with your insurance provider about whether or not your current coverage plan will shoulder the costs of medical treatment.
Consult Your Doctor For Alternatives
Doctors usually give away sample medications especially for expensive medications. The sample medications are given to them by medical representatives for testing, and are usually expensive ones meant to be given away to those who cannot afford treatment. If the medication is too expensive, be upfront with it with your doctor; chances are that he or she will find a suitable substitute with the same active ingredients and efficacy of the original prescription.
When using alternatives, avoid using treatments with no approved therapeutic claims. There are many “alternative medicines” today that rely on herbal and traditional folk remedies with no scientifically-proven benefits. Remember that if the treatment sounds too good to be true, it probably is. (Learn how to cure headache naturally)
Medical care can get quite expensive, especially when prescription medicine is necessary for a full recovery. Once you save money on prescription medication, medical treatments do not have to break your back, your savings in the bank, and the other important things in life.