medication Archives - SavingAdvice.com Blog

I’ve seen some tragic situations over the years when people can’t afford their meds. For example, I’ve met organ transplant patients who couldn’t pay for their anti-rejection drugs and ended up losing the organ they had struggled so hard to receive. I, myself, have dealt with some terrible withdrawal symptoms when I couldn’t access my mental health medications. Therefore, I know firsthand how important it is to learn how to save money on prescription medication.

Talk to Professionals to Save Money on Prescription Medication

The first step to take if you’re struggling to pay for your prescription medications is to ask for help. There are several different types of professionals that you can talk to about how to save money on prescription medication.

Talk to Your Doctor

Your first line of defense against expensive prescription medication is the person who prescribes the meds. Talk to your doctor. In fact, you may need to talk to multiple doctors: a general doctor, a specialist, a psychiatrist, etc.

Be very upfront with these professionals about how hard it is for you to pay for your prescription medications. Ask them what the options are. Oftentimes, they’ll be able to provide solutions. It might be as simple as changing the prescription to something more affordable that still works for you. Alternatively, they may be able to write a letter explaining to your health insurance why you need that specific medication.

Furthermore, your doctor may be able to offer samples and coupons to help you save money on prescription medication. At the very least, when your doctor knows that you are struggling, you’ll have someone there to help you manage symptoms related to not accessing your medication.

Talk to Your Pharmacist

Your pharmacist is another great resource to help you find ways to save money on prescription medications. They are familiar with all of the meds. They know what type of discounts are available, which insurance covers certain costs, and what generic versions of medications are available.

They may or may not be able to actually offer you a discount. Perhaps they’ll know of certain tricks, such as saving money by getting a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply. However, even if they can’t solve the problem, they can often point you in the right direction to find someone who can help.

Ask Your Health Insurance How to Save Money on Prescription Medication

Oftentimes, the biggest problem is that your health insurance doesn’t cover the medication that you need. Or it doesn’t pay very much of the cost. Therefore, you can go straight to your health insurance provider to get help.

If you have the option to visit your health insurance provider in person, then that’s your best bet. If not, then be prepared to wait on the phone for a significant amount of time before you reach the person who can help you. If you are persistent, they are often able to find some resolution.

You may need to discuss getting a different plan with your health insurance provider. Alternatively, they may be able to tell you what some other drug options are to reduce your costs. Then you can take that information back to your doctor to see if those medications would work for you.

Contact the Drug Manufacturer

There are certain prescription medications that are just very expensive. However, the drug manufacturers know that they have customers who can’t afford those high fees. Therefore, they often offer ways to reduce the costs of those medications.

For example, they may offer a discount program. They may provide samples or coupons. You never know unless you ask. Therefore, you should ask.

Find an Advocate

If you have tried all of these different outlets and you still can’t afford your medications, then it’s time to look for an advocate. Your therapist could be an ally in this. If you have a case manager, then they might be able to help. Alternatively, look for a lawyer, a local group, or a friend who has knowledge about how to deal with the prescription medication and health insurance industries. It helps to have someone in your corner who knows the language.

Common Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medication

Talking to professionals is your best route to save money on prescription medication. However, it helps a lot if you know what to ask for. Moreover, there are some things that you can try for yourself. Here are some of the most common ways that people save money on prescription medication:

Change the Medication

When talking to these professionals, find out if you have the option to switch to a more affordable medication. If there is a generic version of the same pill, then try that. If there’s a similar medication that’s cheaper, then try that. Always work with your doctor when switching meds, of course.

Change the Amount of Medication

Sometimes you can save money on prescription medication just by changing the number of pills that you order. A 60-day or 90-day supply may be cheaper per pill than a 30-day supply. Furthermore, it can reduce the number of times you pay a co-pay.

Also, ask about getting a stronger dose that you can split in half. For example, get a prescription for 45 days of a pill that’s twice the strength you need then cut those in half and you have medication for 90 days.

Shop with Coupons

Drug manufacturers offer coupons to reduce the cost of medications. You can also sometimes find other coupons online for various meds. Take a look at what’s out there before you pay full price.

Shop Around with a Tool Like GoodRx

How much you pay for your prescriptions depends on a variety of factors. One of those is the location where you buy the pills. Therefore, you can save money on prescription medication just by shopping around. You can use a comparison shopping tool such as GoodRx to easily find the least expensive option near you for the medications that you need. You may discover that you need to visit a few different pharmacies to get the best price if you have multiple prescriptions. Given the high cost of meds, that can be well worth the effort.

Make Sure You Have the Right Health Insurance

If you haven’t reviewed your health insurance options recently then make sure that you do so. Find out whether you have the right plan in terms of the medications they cover, your co-pays, and your monthly payment. Moreover, see if you qualify for any low-income programs in your area to help you save money on prescription medications. In addition to Medicare/Medicaide, there are often state programs that help pay the premiums and/or co-pays for people with limited income.

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Thins you should never flush down the toilet

Many sewer blockages have to be removed by hand. This can be an expensive and labor-intensive task that can throw a wrench into your finances. This begs the question: what items should never be flushed down your toilet?

The basic rule of thumb is simple — never flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper. Most people are probably surprised by this limited list of approved flushable items. Chances are, you have flushed many things down your toilet over the course of your lifetime besides toilet tissue and human waste. However, there are certain things which can be harmful to your pipes, as well as the environment, and should never be flushed.

For starters, you never want to flush dental floss. It seems so small and harmless, but dental floss is not biodegradable. It can become twisted and tangled around toilet paper in our pipes and cause disastrous clogs.

While many goldfish owners have sent their deceased pets to a watery grave, flushing fish and other pets (hamsters, gerbils, etc.) is never a great idea. They do not break down quickly, and can cause clogs. More importantly, they can introduce and spread possible diseases into a septic system and water supply.

Paper towels, baby wipes, cleaning wipes, feminine hygiene products such as tampons, and facial tissue should never be flushed. They are much thicker than toilet tissue, therefore they do not break down as well in your pipes. All of these items are clog hazards.

Another important item to never flush is medication, both prescription and over-the-counter. These medications are simply a mixture of chemicals. By flushing them, you are introducing these chemicals into the sewer system, and most water treatment stations are not equipped to successfully remove these chemicals from the water supply. The same rule applies to pesticides and cosmetics, which also contain chemicals that are unsafe for the water supply.

It seems obvious, but disposable diapers are not meant to be disposed of in the toilet. They are made of plastic, and you are asking for a small disaster by flushing them down your toilet.

Kitty litter should never be flushed, especially the kind that is made of clay. It is advisable to even be cautious of the “flushable” kind. Toxoplasmosis, a parasite found in cat waste, is in the kitty litter which you are flushing. Toxoplasmosis can be harmful to marine biology.

Cotton balls and Q-tips do not break down, and can cause potential clogging. Be sure to dispose of these items in a trash can, and do not ever flush them.

Other non-flushable items are grease, food fat, dirt, bandaids, condoms, hair, food scraps, and cigarette butts.

At one point or another, we have all been guilty of using our toilet as a trash can. However, it is important to be aware of the potential hazards of clogging your drains with items which were never intended to be flushed. It is also imperative to remember that a lot of these items contain potentially hazardous chemicals and toxins and are capable of polluting our water supply. Stick to the rule of flushing nothing but toilet tissue and human waste.

(Photo courtesy of cwpatterson11)