Save Money on Your Prescriptions
It’s bad enough you have to pay high premiums for health insurance, but you get doubly frustrated when you have to shell out a lot of money for prescriptions on top of that.
But there are ways to save money on those prescriptions if you look hard enough. Here are some simple ways to do it.
Search for Coupons
Even medications occasionally issue coupons. EpiPens, for instance, routinely give you coupons you can use to take up to $100 off each set you buy. While they can be expensive to buy, if you have a life-threatening allergy you have to have one to potentially save your life.
But those coupons can save you a chunk of change each time you use them.
Look for Generics
Everyone seems to think name brands are better, when it comes to clothes, food, and even medication. But the truth is many generics are just as good as the name brand medications they’re imitating.
Let’s pick on EpiPens again. There are generic epinephrine injectors that are a fraction of the cost of EpiPens. Ask your doctor to rewrite your prescription to include a generic epinephrine injector and you’ll save hundreds of dollars.
Never be shy about asking for generics – otherwise you’ll be practically flushing your money down the drain.
Maintain a Good Weight
This may seem like a surprising thing to include on this list. But your weight is important because it can influence how much medication you take. If you’re overweight, you might need medication for Type 2 diabetes or you might develop high blood pressure.
Those extra pounds can really add up. By getting some exercise daily and watching your portion sizes, you might be able to drop or reduce your medication levels. That would not only save you money but also make you feel better about yourself.
Eat Healthy
By eating healthy you can influence how much medicine you take. Your cholesterol levels are impacted by what you eat, in addition to any heredity factors that might make you prone to increased bad cholesterol levels.
Fruits and vegetables are known to lower cholesterol levels and so is eating fish a couple times a week. By cleaning up your diet, you might be cleaning up your financial worries as well.
Don’t Use Insurance
This tip might shock you, but sometimes you can buy your medications cheaper without using insurance.
Next time you fill a prescription, ask the pharmacist how much it would cost if you weren’t carrying any health insurance. For some of the medications, the cash, uninsured price will be cheaper. It may seem crazy, but it’s true.
To better protect yourself from this type of price gouging, you should learn to ask questions and educate yourself as a consumer. If you wait for companies to do the right thing and play fair, you may lose a small fortune before that happens.