Economics times are tough, and cost of prescription medication can take a significant bite out of one’s budget. Many name brand prescriptions cost several hundreds of dollars for one month’s supply. Even generics, while still much cheaper than their respective name brands, are marked up significantly by most pharmacies, and can prove to be too expensive long term for those without insurance, or with very high deductibles. So what is a patient to do?
It is important to check with your provider to make sure that the most cost effective prescription is being offered while still being the safest and most effective. It is also a good idea to price match different pharmacies, as prices can vary depending upon which insurance contracts a given pharmacy holds.
Another option that some medical practices provide is the ability to order generic prescriptions wholesale directly from the physician. For example, our practice utilizes a wholesaler to provide our patients with prescriptions at half the cost (and sometimes even lower). To find out more about our generic prescription program, you can read here.
However, there are times when a name brand medication is the only one available, or the generic equivalent isn’t tolerated or is not strong enough. It has been shown that generic prescriptions are effective roughly two thirds of the time. We frequently see patients who put off medical care because they know they need a medication but fear they cannot afford it. For these situations where a name brand medication is the best or only option, our office can provide free samples for initial therapy, to first see if the medication is effective and well tolerated. If so, we provide the patient help in obtaining that medication free of charge directly from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures it. Patient Assistance Programs are offered by most drug companies and, although the requirements vary, many patients without medical insurance will qualify. Frequently, a family of four earning up to $50,000/year will be approved into most programs. In my opinion, these Patient Assistance Programs are underutilized by the people of Kootenai County.
Don’t delay your medical care because of worry about the cost of a prescription. Let our skilled staff help you access the medication that you need.
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