Many Americans, even those with insurance, overpay for drugs. Medicare seniors on a budget are almost conned into believing they must buy their drugs through Part D prescription medicine insurance plans (PDPs). No so.
There are simple ways to get around Medicare's expensive and bewildering "tiers," "stages," deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, donut holes, "preferred" drugs and the like. Working people on group and individual health insurance drug plans take note: if you can't afford high out-of-pocket co-pays, don't go without. There are cheaper options.
If the drugs you need aren't available on your Medicare and employer prescription drug plan (PDP), or if you're substituting less-effective meds that might not work or even be bad for their health, stop skipping doses and cutting pills in half.
Buy From Online Pharmacies to Save on Private, Group and Medicare Part D Drugs
The are ways to cut costs dramatically and take some of the stress and hassle out of obtaining needed drugs:
- Get educated and buy smart. Shopping around around for drugs is (or should be) no different from shopping for gasoline, furniture, airline tickets or hot dogs. Buy from businesses that offer the best deal. Never assume that the drugs and prices from "preferred" pharmacies listed on your plan's drug card are the cheapest or best.
- Seniors should join a bare-bones drug plan to meet Medicare's requirement and enter its system, just in case. WalMart-Humana offers a plan for only $14.80 a month ($177.60 per year), and other low-premium plans exist. It's vital for Medicare patients to hook up with some PDP when they become eligible to do so, generally at age 65 or within 63 days of losing "creditable coverage" from a retiree, employer or similar Rx plan. Joining late can lead to a Medicare-imposed penalty.
- Buy drugs from the chosen PDP plan provider only when it offers the best deal. PDP participants can buy some, all or none of their drugs from the plan provider. There's no obligation.
- Quickly and easily compare prices throughout North America. Pharmacychecker.com is an independent source of information about online pharmacies that helps consumers continually find the lowest priced products from the most qualified and reputable online pharmacies. Pharmacychecker (which doesn't sell drugs) displays drug prices and ordering information from dozens of online pharmacies side-by-side and even ranks their reputability.
- Buy drugs from a discount pharmacy. Costco.com, among others, offers some of the lowest prices on generics and brand name medications in the USA, with free shipping.
- Buy from a reputable Canadian pharmacy. Millions of Americans have shopped with confidence from our northern neighbor for years for a good reason: low prices–up to 80% cheaper–for quality brand name and generic medications. Canadian pharmacies often sell inexpensive generics that are not available from American drug stores at any price. Technically it is not legal to import drugs from Canada or other foreign sources, but individuals bringing in up to a three-month supply of non-controlled prescription medications for personal use are not being pursued or prosecuted. Senator Bernie Sanders of the Canadian border State of Vermont has long championed the importing of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries as a safe way to improve competition in the marketplace and bring down prescription drug prices.
Example Scenario of Buying Drugs Online and Lowering Out-of-Pocket Drug Costs
Consider an individual living in Chicago enrolled in a drug plan, in this case the WalMart-Humana Medicare Part D program discussed above, who uses the following:
- Nexium brand 20mg pill, 1 a day (the purple pill for GERD)
- Generic for Zofran 4mg tablet, 3 a day (prevents cancer therapy nausea)
- Generic for Lopressor 25mg, 4 a day (for angina and high blood pressure)
Total cost for a year, as calculated by Humana's online e-commerce engine, including annual premium, when the Chicagoan buys these medications via the plan's pharmacy network: $2709.86.
Obtaining all the above meds via the lowest-cost US and Canadian vendors (and receiving a generic for Nexium that's not even available in the US at any price): $994.80 a year, including WalMart-Humana's $177.60 annual Part D premium.
Total savings: $1,715.06, or 63% off!
Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) with integrated prescription drug benefits can similarly buy on the outside when their plans charge too much, or they won't sell needed drugs.
Why Are Medications Cheaper In Canada?
The Canadian government regulates the cost of prescription drugs, keeping prices low. The Canadian government also allows generic drug companies to manufacture generic equivalents a lot sooner than in the US.
Things to Consider When Buying Canadian and Mail Order Prescription Drugs
- Medicare does not reimburse for Canadian drugs. These transactions are private, personal and under the radar of outside entities.
- Canadian pharmacies usually don't process claims directly with your insurance company. They do provide a proper receipt for insurance purposes. Many insurance companies will reimburse for your purchases.
- Plan ahead. It may take as long as 21 business days for drugs to arrive.
- Occasionally, a signature may be needed before the shipper–FedEx, UPS or the United States Postal Service–will deliver the package.
- Call or go online to order the medications, and have a credit card handy.
- Obtain a hard copy of the prescription. Reputable pharmacies all require it be faxed or mailed to them before the order can be processed.
- Never buy from a drug retailer that advertises "no prescription needed." Such businesses are often scams, and may steal one's identity or credit card number, sell substandard merchandise, or simply fail to deliver. Pharmacychecker red-flags rogue Canadian pharmacies and verifies licensed, legitimate operators that protect customers' personal, medical and financial information.
- Expect drugs from Canadian sources to look and be packaged a bit different from their US counterparts. The dose, quality and therapeutic effect are what's important, not the shape of the bottle or color of the box.
Low-income seniors should check into The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private indigent drug programs, including more than 180 offered by pharmaceutical companies.
George Daleiden - I was a science major in college and later a career member of the Institute of Food Technologists. I worked in the processed food and ...
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