Here’s how I saved on prescription drugs

#Middlebury #Seniors #Prescriptions #GoodRx

The price of prescription drugs has, like everything else, inched up. In some cases, the cost has made a massive, sudden jump, and it comes as a shock when you check out at the pharmacy. But there are ways around this horrible surprise.

I recently discovered a way to save a lot of money ($80 on a 90-day prescription) by doing two things: I changed pharmacies, and I started using GoodRx. Here’s how:

Go to the GoodRx website (goodrx.com) and put in your ZIP code so that all the local pharmacies show up. Enter the name of the drug you take, as well as the dose and number of pills. See what each pharmacy charges using GoodRx. They will vary widely.

Boy, did I get a shock. It took me all of two minutes to call a new pharmacy and ask them to have the prescription transferred.

Then I printed out the GoodRx coupon showing the pharmacy name, the drug and dose, the price and so on. I took that to the pharmacy and voila! Eighty dollars saved.

Here are a few other ideas if GoodRx isn’t going to work for you:

• Ask your doctor if a generic would be just as good, or if another drug would work just as well.
• Find out if you qualify for the Extra Help program to pay for your drugs by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or read the information at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10508.pdf.
• See if you qualify for the Pharmaceutical Assistance Program. (www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#/pharmaceutical-assistance-program)
• Get a different Medicare drug plan more in line with the drugs you take (www.medicare.gov/plan-compare).

One note: You can’t use GoodRx along with a deductible from Medicare or Medicaid, but you can use it instead of those. Beware whether you’ll reach your annual deductible if you don’t use a Medicare drug plan or if you’re in the doughnut hole (cover gap) already.

© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.