This site will help you
with the following issues:
HOW TO LOWER THE COST OF YOUR PRESCRIPTION
DRUG
Generic Drug Options
Many drugs have generic versions. Half
of all filled prescription drugs are generics. Even
if you are covered by a company health plan with
a co-pay, a generic drug may lower your costs. Also
many drugs are losing their patent protection and
generics will be available in the future. Companies
with patented drugs losing patent protection are
even offering their own generic versions. Ask your
doctor and pharmacist if a generic version is available
and keep asking in future visits.
For generic options for different prescription
drugs click this web
site from Rxaminer. Look at the top right where they will
guide you on how to find a lower cost drug. Free registration is required.
The FDA
at this site provides information on generic
drugs.
Wal-Mart has introduced a nationwide program to sell generic drugs at low prices. Click here for a link to the article.
Pharmaceutical Company Prescription Relief
Programs
Many drug companies offer price relief
for low-income people and even middle income families
without health insurance. Several companies that
can assist you have web sites. We have also included
direct links to select company sites.
Recently many of the major drug companies introduced
the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. It
is for those without prescription coverage and need
help paying for medicine. To see if you or someone
you know may qualify call 1-888-477-2669 or visit
the Partnership
for Prescription Assistance Web Site.
Each company has their own qualifications. Typically
there are no age requirements. Individuals can earn
as much as $30,000 a year, couples can earn $25,000
or at GlaxoSmithKline up to $40,000.
Needy
Meds.com
This is a non profit organization that is spreading
the word about patient assistance programs. This
site will guide you to complete application forms
to send to the pharmaceutical companies. Typically
they have to be completed by your doctor.
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Brand Name List
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Generic name List
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Company List
RxAssist
A national program supported by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation.
This is a Patient Assistance Program that provides
qualified low-income individuals and families with
access to generic versions of brand name medications.
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Summary of State programs
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Search patient assistance programs
by company, brand name, generic name and drug
class.
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Review drug discount programs.
Pharmaceutical
company and other resources drug purchase help sites
The National Headache Foundation put together a summary of patient assistant programs with phone numbers for the major pharmaceutical companies. Click here for access.
Individual pharmaceutical sites are listed below.
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Merck
Merck is offering a discount drug card for uninsured
Americans regardless of age or income. Click on Merck above to go to their web site or call 1-800-506-3725.
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Pfizer
Click on Pfizer above to go to their web site or call their help phone number 1-800-707 8990 or the
Pfizer Pfriends program at 1-866-906-2800 (English)
or 1-866-906-3700 (Spanish)
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Novartis
Click on Novartis above or call 1-866-974-2273
Together
Rx Card
Sponsored by Abbott Laboratories, AstraZenca,
Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson,
and Novartis. Click on Together Rx Card above or phone: 1-800-865-7211
- Benefits Check Up
This site helps people to connect to private or government programs that help pay for prescription drugs.
- RxHope
This site allows a patient to search for patient assistance programs by medication or pharmaceutical company and to print out applications for patient assistance.
State-by-State, Plan-by-Plan List of Pharmacy Assistance Program
From AARP
April 2006
Expiration Dates
Check the expiration date on your drugs
when you buy them. If you feel you will not use
the entire product by that date, ask your pharmacist
if the date is accurate.
Some pharmacies used to automatically
put the expiration date one year from when the prescription
was filled. Legally they can no longer do this.
A class action suit was filed against Walgreen on
this issue in Cook County, Illinois. It appears
Walgreen and others are now putting actual expiration
dates on the drug packages.
Medicare Prescription Drug Issues
If you are covered by Medicare please review
the following:
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Information on Medicare prescription drugs and enrolling in the
voluntary Medicare drug discount program is available
from Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 or go to the
Medicare
prescription drugs web site. Medicare has an excellent easy to
use web site. Go to search tools and click the
heading under “Prescription drug and other
assistance programs.” In this site you can
check prices or go to the direct Medicare link
for competitive prices.
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The Medicare drug discount program
is voluntary. Some seniors received the cards
automatically through their Medicare HMO or were
enrolled through their state program
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A study the Kaiser Family Foundation,
a non-profit organization found that the new Medicare
drug discount program cards provide substantial
savings over retail prices for medicines. AARP
is one provider of a drug card.
Price Shopping
Once you know what drug you need to buy,
here are some steps to find the lowest price. The
internet and your home phone offer the opportunity
to price shop and save a significant amount of money.
Call your local drugs stores. They do not have
the same prices. I found that Wal-Mart offers very
competitive prices. If you do not have the phone
number of the local Wal-Mart go to the
Wal-Mart Pharmacy Web Site for a list of stores. Wal-Mart
does not presently offer a prescription drug price
web site. They do offer a mail order pharmacy service.
In their web site they are promoting this program
to customers with no insurance. To check Wal-Mart
drug prices call 1-800-273-3455. Wal-Mart also accepts
many insurance plans.
Wal-Mart now offers generic drugs at very low prices. Click here for the article in The New York Times. It requires a free one time registration.
MichiganDrugPrices.com
This site will show you prices for drugs from a variety of sources. If you do not live in Michigan it will still allow you to compare the price you are paying to prices at major pharmacies.
Minnesota Rx Connect
This website provides information about prescription medicine, safety, and cost saving tips. The advice is valuable to those in other states.
Ohio Prescription drug discount plan
Offers cardholders 13% off the average wholesale price and 20% off generic drugs. 90% of the state’s pharmacies support the program.
New York State
This is a web site set up by the State of New York. It can help New Yorkers to find the best drug price. The front page of the site shows examples of savings.
Pharmacy
Checker
Check drug prices from a variety of sources. They
also rate online pharmacies.
MedicareDrugPlans.com
Ratings. profiles, and discussions about Medicare Drug Plans
Private company not associated with Medicare
Check the internet
price lists of the large local pharmacies:
AARP,
The American Association for Retired Persons has
a site for prescription drugs. You can compare
prices and buy drugs online including fill existing
prescriptions. The site also has a product catalog
with 1000’s of healthy living plus other over
the counter health care products.
A number of organizations offer price checks:
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The
Medicare
web site offers pricing comparisons. You do
not have to be enrolled in Medicare to use this
site. Click the link on the first page for drug
comparison prices.
When buying drugs on line you need to be cautious.
The FDA has found a number of cases of companies
making counterfeit drugs. The reputation of who
you are dealing with is critical.
The following is a list
of online pharmacies approved by The
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy®. This organization is the only professional association
that represents the state boards of pharmacy in
all 50 United States, the District of Columbia,
Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, New Zealand,
eight Canadian Provinces, three Australian States,
and South Africa.
Importing Drugs
National
Library of Medicine—Medlineplus Drug information site
Information on thousands of prescription
and over the counter medications is provided. Medlineplus’
web site includes a description of thousands of
prescription and over the counter medications from
the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National
Institutes of Heath.
The FDA has an excellent site with basic information on prescription drugs. You can search by drug name.
FDA drug list site
Drug Directory from U. S. News & World Report
Drug Interactions & Safety Issues
Drug interactions by some estimates; kill
up to 200,000 patients every year. Health professionals
recommend you collect all your prescriptions, vitamins,
and over-the-counter drugs and have your doctor
inspect them for dangerous interactions.
The American Society of
Health Systems Pharmacists consumer site offers easy
to read information on over 700 drugs based on data
from experts and pharmacist members.
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Why is this prescription prescribed?
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How should this medicine be used?
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What special precautions should
I follow?
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What special dietary instructions
should I follow?
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What should I do if I forget
a dose?
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What side effects can this medication
cause?
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What storage conditions are needed
for this medication?
Help In Scheduling Your Medication
My
Pill Box
Help in scheduling your medications
Pill Splitting
There are several articles based on work done at the University of Michigan on pill splitting.
Splitting Certain Pills Safe
University of Michigan
June 12, 2007
Cutting Pills, and Bills in Half
Business Week
July 2, 2007
Scroll way down to this article
General Drug Information
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Drugs to treat over active bladder
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Sleeping pills for insomnia
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Statins for high cholesterol, heart disease
- Inhaled steroids for asthma and COPD
- Drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease
- Triptans for migraine headaches
- Menopause symptoms
- ADHD drugs
Learn
if a medical device has been cleared by the FDA.
Drug
Digest
The
Food and Drug Administration
Consumer Drug Information page with general information
about prescription drugs approved since January
1998 and some not yet approved.
PDRHealth.com
Physicians Desk Reference Site
Detailed drug Information
Type in the name of your product and obtain details on its use
- Prescription Drugs A-Z
- OTC Drugs A-Z
- Herbal Medicines A-Z
- Nutritional Supplements A-Z
