Cheaper Prescriptions
A local pharmacist shared some of the ways we can save money when it comes to prescription medicine. Sometimes it's as simple as pill splitting.
Along with the price of gas, groceries and just about everything else we need, the price for many prescription drugs has skyrocketed.
Sometimes people, especially seniors on a fixed income, simply do without life sustaining medicines because they just can't afford them, but there are some ways to take the sting out of paying for prescriptions.
Many pharmacies in town offer the $4 generic program.
Laura Gould with BMC Pharmacy said, "This is a very good program for people who need a little extra help with their prescriptions. It is really important to come to the pharmacy to get a copy of the drugs so you can take them to the doctor’s appointment with you."
A lot people are taking advantage of the $4 generic program. The only downside is many of the newer drugs aren't on the list. Still, for many patients, especially those with high blood pressure, the $4 program can save you a lot of money.
"Amoxicillan, Keflex, a couple of statin drugs on there for high cholesterol, blood pressure, a lot of blood pressure medication. So there's really no reason anyone should not be taking their blood pressure medication."
The next money saving tip would be pill splitting. For example, if you have a prescription for Lipitor, talk with your doctor about a higher dose.
“If the doctor writes you a prescription for 40 milligrams, you can ask him if you could get the 80 and you can split the pill in half yourself. The price is the same per tablet, so then you have two doses for the price of one."
Diabetic patients who make the trip to Bay Med pharmacy can get a blood glucose monitor.
"This is available to anybody with or without insurance, with the purchase of a box of strips."
And for the folks thinking of taking part in the Medicare D program, you need to do your homework.
"Research the plan and make sure the drugs they take are covered on that plan if they don't know how to do that you can come by bay med pharmacy and we have a counselor that will help them do that."
If you or a family member has a computer, you can log onto www.socialsecurity.gov, and if you would like to find out what medicines are offered on the $4 generic program you can log onto www.baymedpharmacy.com.
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