Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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The ultimate guide to save money on prescription medications
Use generic medications wherever possible.
Generic medicines are almost always cheaper than the equivalent of their brand-name drugs, so it makes sense to use generic medicines only when you can! Bothered that the generic isn’t going to be as effective as the brand? Here is the reality. The actual drug in both the generic and brand medication is the same, so the “filler” product is the only thing that is different. 99% of the time the generic drug can be used by people and it will work just as well for them. Generic versions of prescription medicines are much cheaper than original products, and generic medicines perform as well as their brand name equivalent in most cases.
Check for less expensive substitutes.
If you have insurance, the insurance company will determine which prescription medication they will cover and what cost they will pay. Each insurer is presented with a list of preferred and non-preferred medications they protect. The list of approved medications is called formulary type and is the cheaper option for you at all times. The non-preferred set is called non-formulary and is going to cost you a lot more. Once you are aware of your options, you should talk to your doctor about the prospect of moving to the cheaper drug. Your doctor will sometimes decide that sticking with the more expensive medication is best, but many times they are more than happy to make the switch to help save you money!
Check with your doctor for free samples, drug coupons, and vouchers.
Drug representatives are actively trying to gain profits for their business and are dropping prescription discounts, coupons, and samples at doctor’s offices as part of that. The thing is, doctors sometimes forget that they’ve got them. So if the doctor writes a prescription for you, just ask if he’s got a free sample or coupon for that drug. The worst thing you can go through is you’re going to be told no!
Check what the manufacturer offers.
Coupons/Vouchers: If you are taking a medication with a brand name, especially if there is no generic alternative, call the manufacturer and ask if they have any patient support programs or can give you any coupons or savings vouchers. They will be able to offer you at least a one-time savings coupon nine times out of ten, most of which are good even if you have insurance.
Discount saving program: Checking price insurance services is worthwhile. This is safe to access these services which can be an easy way to save on prescription medicines especially when you don’t have insurance.
Split the pills.
One of the “old-fashioned” ways to save is to get your medication at a higher dose and then split it to get the dosage you need. The savings here are due to you being able to get fewer pills for your dosage. However, this will only work for some drugs (other medications may not work correctly if you sever them), so you must also consult your doctor.
Check whether a 90 day supply will save your money.
Not all insurance requires you to collect drugs for more than one month at a time, but it’s worth checking in! Because many times, if you purchased the same drug a month, the price for a 3 month supply will be less than it would cost you. In reality, for the price of two, certain insurance companies will actually encourage you to get three months of treatment!
Shop around and check the prescription medication prices.
Prices for prescription drugs vary greatly from pharmacy to pharmacy and from drug to drug. Just because the regular prescription is the cheapest on your blood pressure medicine, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same as the asthma medicine you’ve just been prescribed by the doctor. Once you fill in your prescription, it pays to call and ask for rates!
Check for online foreign pharmacies.
It has never been better online pharmacy options than it is now. You can even schedule online prescription assistance to collect the medications at home. When online drug planning sounds appealing, finding a reliable pharmacy isn’t as hard as you think. Once everything is planned, you will start to enjoy these benefits.
Tips to find a legitimate Canadian pharmacy online
“While prescription drug prices continue to rise, most Americans are looking for cheaper alternatives. One of those options is to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies online. Yet with so many Canadian pharmacies saturating the internet, locating a trustworthy pharmacy can often be difficult.”
Luckily, there are ways to find reputable online pharmacies in Canada. Here are some tips for you to understand which pharmacies are legitimate Canadian pharmacies.
1. Check for their credibility.
The first thing to do when it comes to finding legitimate online Canadian pharmacies is to ensure that they are approved by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA), Pharmacy Checker or The International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia (IPABC). The group was established to ensure safe electronic pharmaceutical products shopping.
2. Ensure the site asks you for a prescription.
Selling prescription medications without a prescription is prohibited under law. As such, if a pharmacy does not ask you for a prescription for any drug normally, it is a huge red flag. Most of the Canadian pharmacies demand a legitimate prescription’s original hardcopy be mailed in, as well as a faxed or forwarded copy.
3. Legitimate pharmacies do not sell drugs that have not been licensed.
Legitimate online Canadian pharmacies will only sell products in your country that are approved. Approved drugs come through a regulated supply chain, so you can feel confident that the safety and efficacy of your prescription drugs have been tested.
4. Have a certified pharmacist at your fingertips to answer your questions.
You have the opportunity to discuss questions with the pharmacist on-site when you pick up a prescription in person. Pharmacists have the ability to identify problems and address patient questions and experiences potential side effects and drug interactions. Legitimate online retailers hire registered pharmacists who may be reached by telephone.
5. Read the privacy policy of the sites carefully.
In contrast to the tips, do read through their privacy policies when looking for a legitimate online Canadian pharmacy. This is to ensure that your confidential information is protected and will not be distributed without your permission to third-party businesses. If the privacy policy of a product is vague or non-existent, be vigilant when making a purchase.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Health Buzz 