Help Available For High Prescription Costs
Pharmacist Can Be Close Ally In Determining Costs
UPDATED: 3:08 pm EST November 17,
2003
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- With prescription drug costs heading nowhere but up, many people say they have to count their pennies before they count their pills."You'd be surprised. People would stretch out their medicines. They think if they take their blood pressure medicine every other day then that's okay," said Dr. Carolyn Fields, of Paris View Family Practice in Greenville.
Even people who have insurance can feel the pinch of drug costs, reported WYFF-TV in Greenville.This is the time of year when many businesses offer employees a health insurance plan for the following year. If yours offers a prescription drug benefit, look to see if you've got a formulary -- a list of what the company will or will not pay for.Many companies are now offering a three-tier prescription plan. That means the insurance company will pay for a higher percentage of the cost on generic drugs, a lower percentage on "preferred" drugs, and pay the least on non-preferred drugs, which are also usually the most expensive.It may sound complicated, but there's a way to make the formulary work for you.For example, if your doctor would prescribe the antidepressant Celexa for you, that would probably be a non-preferred drug and would cost you about $40. Under your formulary, the second-tier drug Paxil would only cost $20. The generic, amytriptyline, would cost only $10."In that case, the patient will contact the physician, or we'll contact the physician for them to see if we can get the drug switched," pharmacist Kevin Page said.Page said your pharmacist can be a strong ally in your fight against high drug prices.Many drugs are making the transition to over-the-counter status. Check with your pharmacist to see if a drug you've been prescribed has an over-the-counter equivalent.For example, prescription Prilosec costs $45 for a 30-day supply. But Prilosec OTC costs only $25 for a 30-day supply.Once a drug is available over the counter, a store brand will often appear on shelves, and it will cost less.Claratin D costs $12.63 for 10 tablets, while a store brand costs $10.39 for 10 tablets."There's also assistance programs for certain medications from drug companies that they could possibly apply for if their insurance won't cover it," Page said.More than 300 drug companies offer some sort of assistance. There are books available that list the programs, but you can also just ask your pharmacist or doctor to provide you with a Web address or phone number for customer service.Randy Greer needed eye drops for his glaucoma. The Patients In Need program provided him with a card that let him buy a 30-day supply for $5 instead of $65.Programs like this give Greer and other people more breathing room at the pharmacy.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS COST IN CANADA Are prescriptions less expensive in Canada? |
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