Home About Upstream Health Solutions Blog Search Upstream Health Solutions To build and deliver a great product you need great input. We have assembled the best leaders that have been there, seen it and done it? Saving money at the pharmacy Thursday, September 25, 2008 10:17 Posted in category Prescriptions No Comments The cost of prescription drugs has increased significantly in recent years and many people are finding it difficult, or even impossible, to afford their medications.  Going to other countries, or using the internet to fill your prescriptions is one way to save money, but there are other, less risky alternatives. First, ask your doctor if he or she has any samples of the medication they can give you, especially if you only need to take the medicine for a short time. A lot of these are given to doctors as free samples by pharmaceutical representatives; your doctor will most likely be happy to give some to you. You may need to ask your doctor about samples, as they might not otherwise think of it because of other things on their minds. If you have a prescription drug plan and you are prescribed a medication for a long period of time, it’s important to ensure that you have a good understanding of your benefits. Your drug plan may have a formulary, which is a listing of preferred medications. Medication that is on the formulary is likely to be more affordable than similar drugs that are not on it. If your medicine isn’t listed on the formulary, ask your doctor if there is another drug on the list which you could take. If generic drugs are available, they can be your best option. If you must pay for your medications yourself, you can save a significant amount of money this way. Your co-pay will be lower for generic drugs with many prescription drug plans. Again, ask your doctor if a generic medication would be effective for your treatment. Mail-order programs are available for a wide range of prescription drug plans. Read the rest of this entry