Staying Frugal with medical issues?

[Frugal Father (tm)]

How do you stay on topic and keep up your frugal ways with/if you have medical issues like lots of medication, supplements etc... I sometimes struggle with it, thank g-d for inssurance. What do you do?

[JanH]

Buy generic definitely, if you can. Not counting my married son, we have nine medications between all of us. Only one or two are not generic yet. Our insurance company gives us a big discount on generic co-pays. Also, take care of your health. My Hubby is now off his blood pressure medicine cos he takes better care of what he eats, exercise, sleep, etc. That's the only way we can do it at this time.

[lrjohnson]

Flash has a lot of good posts on saving with medications, check her blog. I'd post a link but I'm under the weather therefore dimmer than usual.

I have insurance through work that helps. I know others who have declined the work insurance because of the high cost-well, once they get an illness or injury, what seems high now will seem like pennies later!

I definitely take generics when I can. If I can avoid a medication, perhaps telling my doctor to give me a shot at lowering my own blood pressure before she puts me on meds (I was successful), I try that.

Otherwise: well, I just suck it up. I have meds that if I don't take or reduce, my quality of life will suffer greatly. I give thanks that I have insurance, and pay what I need to and make peace with it.

[getforfree]

I don't have medical insurance now. We don't qualify for free medical, but our kids still do. Dh is going to get insurance from work, it's not going to have any premiums, just copays if he needs to use it. I don't have any. If he would add me to his insurance, it would cost me $70/week. I can't get insurance from my job because I work part-time, and if I wan't to work ft, i will have to get a childcare for the kids, that is even more expencive. We never go to doctor, I had to only due to birth of my kids, and took the kids for their check ups, but we are healthy, and wasting money on a premium every month and not using it would be just a real waste of money. I think we might get a health insurance later but only if I start seeing any problems in my health. Right now for me is just chaper to set a special account and pay about $50/ month there and pay for everything in cash if I will have to, and there is a good chance I won't have to. I check my blood pressure for free at Raleys about once a month, I tell Dh to check his too, but he never wants to go shopping there with me. I guess that we are so lucky, we don't have to use any medications and stuff, but we are still young, so who knows where we will be when we will be like 40.

I think it's important to take care of your health before any problems will start. We watch what we eat and move a lot, so we won't be overweight. Exercise and any physical activity eliminates lots of health problems.

Once you get to the point where you have to take a medication every day, than there is a problem, not only that you have to buy it, but that all medications have side effects. Even those from pain and headache that everybody takes once a while. When I have a headache, I just try to do it without a pill, even if I have to go to work.

[Ima saver]

I am not a medical person. I have no insurance and I have only been to the doctor about 3 times in my life! I had a hard time getting my dh doctor to take me, cause I only saw him once about 10 years ago, when I got bitten by a brown recluse.
We did carry health insurance for about 10 years. We have a real high deductible and no co pays. We never got a dime, but paid in over $90,000.
I have just decided to never get sick. It has worked for over 60 years for me.
When I had that medical procedure, colonoscopy, and just paid cash for it.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by JanH

Also, take care of your health.

This is so important. I'm a family practice physician and so much of what I treat every day is self-induced and preventable in many cases: diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, acid reflux, common colds, many injuries, etc. If people would just take better care of themselves, they could lower their healthcare costs tremendously. Eat a low fat, low salt diet. Get 8 hours of sleep each nite. Don't smoke. Drink in moderation. Limit caffeine. Excercise regularly. And keep your weight within normal range. That would solve so many problems that cost individuals and society billions of dollars.

[pyotr]

Ima,
You are sitting on an absolute Time Bomb. You're playing Russian Roulette with your financial life, with half the chambers loaded with nuclear warheads.
Given your substantial assets and no health insurance, if you get in a car accident and end up in an ICU for a few months, your entire life savings could be liquidated. Same if you come down with influenza complicated by pneumonia and ARDS landing you in an ICU. Or say you suffered a massive stroke, or a heart attack etc. Not only that, if you end up disabled, you and your husband will be living like paupers for the rest of your life.

With the assets that you have, you need health insurance - I'd look up BCBS in your state and purchase an individual plan. Even if it costs you $1000/month, it'll be worth it. Think about it, it's just not worth the risk to save ~$12,000/year?

Another thing you could consider would be to work some minimal stress menial job just for the health insurance benefits - say as a teacher in school, or as an office personnel in your local hospital etc. I know many people who work such jobs just for the health insurance.

I, like stevie above am a physician, and have personally seen too many sob stories which began happily like yours.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

WOW, there is realy no replacement for your health and if you have a condition yes it may improve or be managed better if taken an interest in but some conditions need medications no matter what. Thanks for your replies.

[sakigt]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

This is so important. I'm a family practice physician and so much of what I treat every day is self-induced and preventable in many cases: diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, acid reflux, common colds, many injuries, etc. If people would just take better care of themselves, they could lower their healthcare costs tremendously. Eat a low fat, low salt diet. Get 8 hours of sleep each nite. Don't smoke. Drink in moderation. Limit caffeine. Excercise regularly. And keep your weight within normal range. That would solve so many problems that cost individuals and society billions of dollars.

Absolutely!

My allergies, I cant exactly wish away...so I just ask my Pharmacist what I could substitute for my Allegra-D. He told me to buy the generic Allegra then take an over the counter Sudafed with it. Same thing... $30 less a month!

I cant wait to become a Pharmacist so I can help others find tricks like this as well.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by sakigt

My allergies, I cant exactly wish away...so I just ask my Pharmacist what I could substitute for my Allegra-D. He told me to buy the generic Allegra then take an over the counter Sudafed with it. Same thing... $30 less a month!

Of course Sudafed is now sold only behind the pharmacy counter due to the methamphetamine issue. You need to show photo ID, sign a log and stay within purchase limits. Quite a pain just because a handful of addicts were buying the stuff to make drugs.

As for controlling allergies, there are some things people can do to limit them. I have lots of allergy patients who continue to smoke, have one or more pets that they are allergic to, love to keep the windows wide open all season, etc. Even simple steps like a pillow cover and mattress cover and more frequent vacuuming can reduce symptoms for many. As I said above, there are so many things people can do to improve their health, or at least lessen the effects of various conditions and reduce costs.

If you do need medication, lots of ways to save. Generics, as mentioned. Shopping around is also very important. Prices can vary drastically between pharmacies. Find out if you med comes in a higher dose that you can split in half to save money. For example, a 50mg pill might be $30/mo. but the 100mg might be the same price or just a little more. Taking half of a 100mg can save you a lot. Also, check internet pharmacies. If you are low income, apply for patient assistance programs from the pharmaceutical companies. Also, ask your doctor for free samples. We get thousands of free pills and I'm more than happy to give them out to patients who need them.

I no longer have health insurance, and am getting worried because before my mom dropped me from their insurance I got 3 months worth of Kariva (birth control pills). I'm almost out, and I don't know what I'm gonna do. It's not for birth control, it's for extreme menstrual cramps and heavy, long periods. I tried going off of it almost a year ago, because I've been on it since I was 13, and I was curious if my symptoms would be any better now that I'm older... well they weren't, they were horrible! I heard it's possible to get birth control for free, but I don't know where I could get it from. I'm in college, and I don't know if the health center would give them out, because they sell it. Any ideas?

[brianpalmer]

i'd say to buy generics when possible, but don't be on budget on your health. a good insurance will save you from serious trouble, when it comes.

[Ima saver]

I agree with Steve. I quit smoking over 15 years ago. I took up walking about 30 years ago and when i was younger I would get in about 6 miles a day. I still walk everyday and although my weight is not what I would like, I watch what I eat and don't cheat too much. I drink lots and lots of water, no caffein at all, and take vitamins! ( I have never driven past the speed limit, never had an accident or even a ticket. I will not drive on interstates)

[JanH]

Originally Posted by lisasayzhi

I no longer have health insurance, and am getting worried because before my mom dropped me from their insurance I got 3 months worth of Kariva (birth control pills). I'm almost out, and I don't know what I'm gonna do. It's not for birth control, it's for extreme menstrual cramps and heavy, long periods. I tried going off of it almost a year ago, because I've been on it since I was 13, and I was curious if my symptoms would be any better now that I'm older... well they weren't, they were horrible! I heard it's possible to get birth control for free, but I don't know where I could get it from. I'm in college, and I don't know if the health center would give them out, because they sell it. Any ideas?

Do try and talk with the health center at school. My now DIL had no insurance, also had awful periods and got pills from them. I don't know if she had to pay for them or not. Or maybe a reduced amount? I wonder if there are health centers in the community that help. Our area gives free shots to people, especially children for school. They do it on a certain schedule. Perhaps you can talk to someone there?

[Ima saver]

is birth control expensive?

[katwoman]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

is birth control expensive?

$33/month.

Yes, definately look into the school healthcenter and try Planned Parenthood. I hear they sell BCP's for $17/month.

If your mother dropped you from her insurance can you get insurance thru your school? EVERYONE needs health insurance!

[Ima saver]

That is definately worth the money!

[aurielle]

I have only ever been without health insurance twice in my life, for brief periods when in the middle of major life changes and I got health insurance as soon as I was able to. The second time was 11 years ago, and I qualified for share of cost medicaid where I only had to pay if I used it, and my share of cost would have been a few hundred bucks a month but luckily I never had to use it. I had it in case of a serious illness or injury, and at the time I had free access to a doctor for minor health problems through my job until I qualified for their health plan.

I can see the doctors on campus for free, but prescriptions, x-rays, and other things cost an extra big fee. I don't have dental insurance either. I actually chipped my back molar a few weeks ago, and it hurt really bad and was very sharp... but I just got a nail file and filed it down. It's feeling better now, just have to keep it clean w/ no food back there ... I brush my teeth a lot.

[cutetexancowgirl2002]

I'm a recent college grad, I know the health center at my school at birth control for $10.00/month. If that is out of budget, you may look in the phonebook for ask around your town to see if anyone knows of a doctors office where people with minimum incomes can get healthcare at deep discounts (I've heard some people even qualify for free). You can also get birth control as well as other medicines cheaper in Mexico.