Pay Less for Your Medications

AARP knows that its members are concerned about paying for their prescription drugs.
 
In a recent survey, 68 percent of Maine members reported this among their top health care concerns. In response, AARP has teamed up with Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs™ to bring you a free online tool that can help you spend less on your medications.

Consumer Reports Health works with independent health researchers to bring you the most accurate and reliable recommendations on prescription drugs. Unlike other Consumer Reports materials which may require a subscription, the Best Buy Drugs recommendations and reports bring reliable, trust-worthy information to you for free through the AARP Drug Savings Tool. It’s a great source of information for starting a conversation with your doctor.

If your prescription drugs are covered by Medicare Part D, this savings tool can also help you avoid the donut hole, and can help you manage your costs if you do land inside it. If you are privately insured, you may be able to limit expensive co-pays for brand name drugs when they are not necessary. If you pay out of pocket, you will see the largest returns in savings for the investment of your time with this tool.

Here’s how the new “Drug Savings Tool” works:

Step 1 – Go to the online Drug Savings Tool

Step 2 - Select the prescription drugs you are taking. (You may be asked for further information like why the drug was prescribed or what your dosage is.)

Step 3 – Read the results. The Drug Savings Tool will automatically compare your drugs to other options and let you know if there are less expensive options available - without sacrificing safety or efficacy. For example, if you are taking Zocor, you could switch to a generic statin and save more than $1,300 a year.

Step 4 – Read more about the type of drug you are taking to become a more informed health care consumer. You can download short or long versions of a Best Buy Drugs report on your disease condition and/or drug category. These reports can help take a more active role in protecting your health – and wallet.

Step 5 – Talk with your doctor. The AARP Drug Savings Tool is a great source of information for starting a conversation with your doctor about changing your prescriptions to save you money.