Even before the current economic environment, there were numerous stories in the media about the elderly skipping medication to make ends meet.  The high cost of health care has been on the minds of Americans for years.  My monthly prescription costs run in the $150 range – and that’s just the co-pay pricing from my insurance. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford these costs, but with the loss of jobs and the faltering economy, many more people are unable to purchase basic medications.

An October survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health policy group, found that 27% of people decided not to fill a prescription in order to save money, up from 23% six months earlier. About 22% reported cutting pills or skipping doses, up from 19%.

Free Antibiotics

Yes, you can get something for nothing.  Several grocery stores are giving away antibiotics.  Meijer have been offereing free antibiotics since 2006, other chains such as Wegmans, Giant Food and Stop & Shop announced that between now and the end of March it would give a 14-day supply of any of nine generic antibiotics for free to customers with a Shoppers Club card.

Prescription Drug Clubs

CVS and Walgreens have a Shopping Club Card, which allows consumer to get generic medication at low cost.  For a small annual fee, members can get cheap generic drugs whether or not they have insurance.  The Club Cards offer other discounts on goods and services as well.

Go for generics

You knew we were going to tell you this one, didn’t you.  In some cases, the generic form of a brand-name drug is not the same, but in many cases it is.  Even the the exact formula of the drug differs, it’s mostly in the inactive buffers of the medication, not the active ingredients which cures the condition for which the medication is described.  Ask your doctor if there’s a generic equivalent for your prescription.  Walmart has a $4 generic prescription program, check and see if your prescription is one they carry.

Buy your prescription in Canada or Mexico

If you live near a border town, or you are traveling to one of these two countries, you might consider this option.  Prescription drugs in these countries are often, though not always, cheaper than ones in American pharmacies. It’s completely legal to get your prescription filled in either Canada and Mexico and bring the drugs back to the US.  Contrary to popular belief, the drugs sold in Mexican and Canadian pharmacies are perfectly safe and as effective  as the ones you buy at American pharamacies, though there are exceptions.   As a matter of fact, many of the drugs you would buy in these two countries are manufactured by the same companies that make the American drugs.

One note on Mexican drugs: You should check with your U.S. doctor to ask permission to purchase Mexican medicines. If you receive an emphatic “NO!”, reconsider your effort. Some heart rhythm drugs, for instance, are so sensitive that different brand names of the same chemical in the same dosage react differently in the same person.  Safe bets for Mexican drugs are arthritis drugs, antibiotics or asthma inhalants.

Comparison Shop for Prices

Hello!  This should also be an obvious choice for you.  And don’t just compare the entire cost of your prescriptions should you take more than one – shop for each medication separately.  Many pharamacies can fill your prescription online and mail you the medication at a nominal cost – worth it to me for convenience and savings in gas.  Also, don’t be shy about asking for a price match at the pharmacy counter. Many pharmacies will match others’ prices, but they won’t advertise that to customers.

One word of caution: If you get different prescriptions filled at different pharmacies, make sure to tell the pharmacist about all of your medications so they can identify any possible adverse reactions.

Take your medication every other day

This is the most controversial option, and I beg you not to do this unless your doctor feels it’s OK.  Why this might be possible option: some medication’s “half life” (the amount of time the drug stays in your system) can be days, so the potential for gaining the benefits from drugs without taking them every day is there.  Did we say not to do this without your doctor’s advice and permission?  OK, then.

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