How to Alleviate the Financial Burden of Prescription Costs
The costs of medications in the United States are extremely expensive, higher than other countries. If you are uninsured or underinsured the out of pocket costs are significantly higher. In my work with clients a major barrier when it comes to costs related to medical care is the limited resources they have available to cover the out-of-pocket costs related to medications. There are specific conditions that have extremely high costs of drugs particularly those folks who are dealing with diabetes and pulmonary-related issues just to name a few. When a person is dealing with a chronic illness of any kind the costs can add up significantly if you think about, co-pays for medications, co-insurance, out of pocket costs associated with seeing specialists, and someone who has had to undergo frequent hospital stays the amount that individual has to pay can be very overwhelming. Here are some ways to combat the potential costs of medications if you find that you have a loved one who is struggling to obtain their prescription drugs.
Prescription Savings
Ask your Pharmacist: at times they can speak with your doctor on your behalf to determine if there is an alternative drug that may be covered if it’s related to an insurance issue.
Free samples: Doctor’s get trials of medications from various pharmaceutical representatives and they may have them in their office not being used. Ask your doctor if this may be a temporary solution.
State Funded Drug Programs: this will vary from state to state but check with your local state department of health or dept of aging to explore if there are potential drug programs that can possibly help. New York State offers EPIC which helps participants who are enrolled into a Medicare Part D plan.
GoodRX: allows you to compare prices of different pharmacies in your area to determine where you can get the medications for less.
Mail Order: If you have prescription coverage included in your health insurance plan inquire about pharmacies that are able to do mail order. Insurance plans often offer incentives that include reduced rates of medications that are ordered normally for a quantity of 90 days that comes out significantly cheaper than obtaining them from your local pharmacy.
Veteran’s Benefits: have a loved one who is a veteran? Refer them to check out resources available through their local VA for free medications as long as you register with their medical center.
These are some resources that are worth exploring if you or someone you know are having difficulties affording their medications. High prescription costs can cause barriers to accessing medication that can result in serious complications of someone's illness. Talking with your providers about some of these issues can lead to potential savings to help alleviate some of the financial burden associated with chronic illness.