Prescription Cost Cutters

The next time your doctor offers you a free drug sample for an ongoing condition, think twice before accepting. Drug companies typically give us only more expensive brand name drugs for samples, and in the long run, that can cost you money. If you do well on the medication, your doctor is likely to keep prescribing it, instead of generic, which—in the months after the freebies run out- would be significantly cheaper.

What do you do?

Well, ask your doctor if accepting the free samples of a name brand will be an issue when later you plan on switching to a generic brand. Generics are typically the exact same combination of necessary chemical compounds just produced in a different factory and with less advertising and production costs.

All discount pharmacies have a list of acceptable generic supplements for the name brands, however if you doctor does not write on your prescription “Generics Ok” than you might get stuck with the high end prescriptions, and the costs.

How can you avoid paying for the name brands when a generic is available? Communication with your doctor, ask if you can substitute the prescription you are currently taking with a generic alternative, if there are no discrepancies in your doctor’s opinion than ask if he / she can rewrite your prescriptions to accept a generic form of your medications.

Do not be afraid to ask your Dr.

I went through the list of the three medicines that I take and found out I could be saving $125.00 a month, just by using the generic form of the drugs instead of the higher priced name brands all with my doctor’s endorsement and encouragement.

Another medical money saver is reviewing the labels. No one likes to be sick and miserable with the flu – I am the WORST patient EVER! But if you are down with the latest bug, that doesn’t require antibiotics for treatment. Or if your heartburn is so painful you would drink liquid gold to make it go away. Go to the drugstore with research in mind.

You need a cough syrup and medicine to help you sleep, before grabbing the catchy, attention grapping tune- you know the one! Grab the store brand (or generic version) and compare ingredients, keep in mind that chemicals all have the same name, so looking at the milligrams is important as well.

Here is what I found:

Heartburn Medicine – name brand Zantac 150 at a cost of $36.99 for 195 count package and compared it to Kirkland Generic Acid Reducer- 190 tables with a cost of $11.04. What is the difference? Well, a lot of it is packaging, production location and mass market appeal. Most consumers believe that if it costs more, it must be better. That isn’t true. When comparing these items one in each hand, I noticed one very similar component- the main ingredient.

They are exactly the same; the main ingredient and milligram amount which is why you bought it in the first place, is exactly the same. Therefore it is worth $25.95 to read the label- not bad cash for standing in the aisle for a few minutes.

In summary, ask your doctor always and first! Can you switch to generic versions of the same medications you are already taking? If so get an updated prescription and run, don’t walk to the pharmacy and put that extra money in your bank account. If no, that is okay as well, know that your health is of the utmost importance!

Do not be ashamed to read labels, compare the store brand against the national brands, and if in your opinion the main ingredients are the exact same or very close give it a try. The money that you save will make you feel better immediately.

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