Medication can greatly enhance your quality of life, but often it’s at the expense of your pocketbook. Prescription medications can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You may end up feeling better than ever, but you won’t have any cash left over to get out there and enjoy your new-found energy.

Fortunately, you aren’t stuck paying the price on the bottle. There are tons of ways you can save on prescription medication. Here are just a few.

Look for Coupons Online

It’s true that saving on prescription meds can take a lot of time. You could spend a lot of time researching on the internet or speaking with your pharmacist and your doctor. It can pay off, as you’ll see coming up on this list, but if you’re looking for a quicker solution, try online medication coupons.

There are tons of coupons available for a wide variety of drugs. Some may enable you to save a couple of dollars, while others may be able to save you hundreds.

And they’re so easy! Just find the coupon you want, print it out, and take it with you when you go to pick up your prescription at the pharmacy.

Consider a Different Prescription

One of the best ways to save, especially if you want to save big, is to consider all of your medication options. That usually means discussing your options with a doctor or a pharmacist.

• Switch medications: The copayments for two similar drugs may be wildly different, so make sure to discuss your copayment concerns with a doctor when deciding on a new medication.
• Generics: Not all medications have a generic, and not all generics are the same as their name brand counterparts, but they’re much cheaper. If you can, you should always switch to a generic.
• Double the dose: Bigger pills are usually more affordable than smaller pills. Double the dose and cut the pill in half when taking your meds.
• Choose over-the-counter: Many prescription drugs, like pain and allergy meds, have over-the-counter counterparts that can be more affordable than prescription drugs.

Look Into Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs

If a medication is new, or if it has managed to corner the market, you may still be required to pay a hefty sum. That can be a problem if it’s a life-saving medication that you can’t afford.

That’s where assistance programs come in. There are many programs for seniors that can cut prescription costs, but there are many other subsidy programs out there too. You can even go directly to the drug manufacturer and see if they offer a patient assistance program for uninsured and low-income patients.

Your doctor may be able to help too. Many name brand drugs offer free trials so you can at least get the first few weeks to the first month of medication for free.

Don’t let the cost of prescription drugs lower your quality of life when the drug itself has you feeling better than ever before. With these tips, you can get the medicine you need without draining your bank account.

Categories: Health