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How To Save "Big" On Prescription Drugs$1200.00 A Year Or Pay $40 A Year, Same DrugResearch to 4-8-08 My Conclusions Harlan Jacobsen-Copyright © 2008 OTC (over the counter) drugs often work as well as their prescription counterparts.Check our reference to Consumer Reports on many OTC. (that were often previously prescription only) that work as well or better then newer drugs. Some of these OTC are effective remedies, we mention elsewhere, such as Claritin for allergies and they mention Prilosec for heartburn both good examples of previously, prescription-only. Talk to your pharmacist, some of your drugs may be now available or about to be available on OTC, but you wont know it, and keep paying prescription prices, but he does, and likely wont tell you unless you ask. His job is to keep filling your prescriptions. Costco has not joined in the Walmart $4 for 30 days discount program competition, likely because they have some of the lowest prices around and if you are stuck with a Name high priced drug you can not get a Generic version etc or OTC as effective, then you may want to check with Costco. Costco is a membership store but you can get your prescriptions filled at Costco without becoming a member (non-members may be charged a small fee).When you are stuck with one of these high priced drugs and found no way around it with your doctor or pharmacist, then get on the phone, call your local pharmacies, even more than one branch of the same chain. Don't assume anything, call and ask and written down prices at many places before you get this type of prescription filled. If a further away pharmacy is lowest, contact your nearest and ask if they will match this price quote you have on the drug. Usually they will match a competitor and save you the trip.Remember, you may refill this many times and any savings here will be multiplied. Next ....consider making your drug purchase in bulk, but only if you have already had some experience with how this drug works for you. Ask for free samples the first time in, is one way to check, see our article on being sure you are not trapped into the higher priced drug name on the "free" sample and get a prescription next time for the Generic version etc. Once you are sure of a drug effectiveness,and necessity of taking long term, ask your doctor to prescribe a longer-term supply (for example, a 90-day supply) Some times the quantity discount applies.This is important on Co-Pays....If you can get a 90 day or six month prescription with one co-pay you are ahead of the game over three monthly co-pays. Each insurance company is different and have their own rules that apply.. Get your approved, "will pay for drug list" from your insurance company and take it along on your trip to the doctor. See if you can get you doctor to stay with drugs on the list, Failing that, try for the bulk long term "prescription" may work, and keep in mind our pill splitting suggestion that works well for many. Some pills come in as many as eight sizes and the cost is the same for a quantity, regardless of size.Check with your doctor on this, tell him you have a pill splitter and would like to save by using it, with him prescribing the larger size tablet, with you cutting them to the size he wants you to take. (some pharmacists will split them for you for free)(as much as eighths.) Remember, there are some pills that have timing and you should not split, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this list with you.... EVERY visit to your doctor.
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