From Trisha Torrey,
Your Guide to Patient Empowerment.
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As the prices of drugs continue to skyrocket, we patients need ways to save money on their costs. Here are some ideas for saving money on prescription drugs. Not every idea will work for you, but using those that do in combination may help you save some money.

1. Partner With Your Doctor

Sometimes doctors prescribe drugs without giving thought to their cost, or to whether your insurance covers their cost. One good way to save, then, is to talk to your doctor about alternatives to the prescription being written.

Generic drugs are usually less expensive and are considered to be bio-equivalent to their branded counterparts (that is, they're just as effective). In some states, unless the doctor designates DAW (dispense as written) on your prescription, the pharmacist may substitute a generic drug automatically. If your doctor prescribes a new drug for you, ask if there is a generic version available.

Doctors may also have samples of the drugs they prescribe for you. While you'll only be able to use samples in the short term, they include enough of the drug for you to determine whether or not you'll suffer a reaction or side effect from taking it. Finding this out will prevent you from paying for a full prescription of a drug that will be useless to you.

You'll also want to talk to your doctor about how your prescription drugs are covered by your health insurance. You may be able to save money by using a drug from a different tier in the formulary (see below).

2. Partner with Your Health Insurance

Prescription coverage offered through health insurance, Medicare and other health payment programs charge different patients different amounts for each drug they are prescribed, depending on the plan the patient pays for.

The list of drugs covered by a health insurance plan, called a formulary, is usually outlined in tiers. Tier Three drugs cost a patient the most, Tier Two drugs cost less, and Tier One drugs cost the least. Those tiers are not always reflective of the real cost of the drug; rather, they are reflective of contracts the insurance company has negotiated with either a drug's manufacturer or the preferred pharmacies used by those health insurance companies. You can usually find a health insurance company's formulary on its website.

Understanding what tier your new prescription falls under will help you determine whether you can save money on that drug. It will also help you talk to your doctor about adjustments in the prescription, should you learn that the drug she prescribed is listed under the most expensive tier.

For example, PPIs are drugs that are prescribed for GERD, gastric reflux disease. The generic version is called omeprazole, and is usually a Tier One drug (the least expensive). A similar drug is called Prevacid, and it may be Tier Two. Nexium and Aciphex, also PPIs, may be Tier Three (the most expensive). If your doctor thinks any of these drugs will work for you, then you might as well get a prescription for the omeprazole, saving yourself some money.

Some insurance companies are actually supplying generic or over-the-counter drugs at no cost to the patient. When the patient has been prescribed a prescription drug listed at a higher tier, it costs the insurance company less to provide a lower tier equivalent for free than it does for them to pay their portion of the cost for the Tier Three drug to the manufacturer.

If you take a brand name prescription drug, especially a Tier Three drug, ask your doctor to look at you insurance company's formulary to see if there is a Tier One equivalent. If so, call your insurance company and ask if they will provide that Tier One drug to you for free. Even if they won't do that, purchasing the Tier One drug will be less expensive for you anyway.

Many drugs that used to be available only by prescription are now available over the counter. You'll want to comparison shop equivalent drugs knowing which tier the prescriptions are on, and whether or not OTC versions are available. You can check for OTC, generic and branded equivalents on the FDA's website. It's a bit of legwork, but it may be worthwhile for your wallet in the long run.

3. Compare Prices and Purchase in Quantity

Beyond comparing branded, generic and over-the-counter drug prices, consider comparing prices among different pharmacies. Comparing pricing from different pharmacies works well for drugs you will take on a regular basis, and not as well for drugs you are prescribed for the short term to help you get over a brief illness.

Pricing your drugs may take you some time, but you'll be surprised at the differences in costs. Phone your local pharmacies and ask them what they charge for your drug, and ask what the costs are for a 30, 60 and 90-day supply. Ask your insurance company if it works with a particular mail order pharmacy, such as Express Scripts, and include its pricing in your comparison, too.

Many of the local pharmacies have websites to help make your research easier. Walgreens, CVS and others provide pricing online, for example. A website called Pharmacy Checker helps you compare prices, too.

Though you may be tempted to explore foreign pharmacy offerings or order drugs from overseas, this can be dangerous -- and it won't necessarily save you money. Foreign drug dispensing companies are a prime source for counterfeit drugs, some of which have caused patient deaths.

The FDA devotes a large section of its website to information on the importation of drugs from foreign countries.

4. Look into Prescription Assistance Programs

Prescription assistance programs (PAPs) are an excellent resource, particularly for those families with limited income. Learn more about these programs to determine your eligibility for participation.

5. Use a Drug Discount Card

Using a drug discount card can help save you money on your prescription drugs, too. Drug discount cards are available from a variety of sources to anyone who is interested in using one. Determining your eligibility for the different kinds of cards, and whether or not they can benefit you, may go a long way toward saving you money on your prescription drugs.