Seven Tips That May Lower Your Medicine Costs
Using these helpful tips may help you keep down the costs of your medicines:
- Ask if generic drugs or lower-priced brand name drugs are available to treat your condition.
- Always ask your in-network pharmacy if you are paying the lowest price. If the pharmacy offers a lower price – even as a short-term “special” – you can buy the drug directly from the pharmacy without using your plan card. Then you submit the receipt to your plan either to be reimbursed or to be counted toward your out-of-pocket expenses in the coverage gap. You may also be able to lower your costs through other discount programs that use the same pharmacies as your drug plan.
- Use mail order to get a 90-day supply of your ongoing medications, if available.
- Pick the best drug plan for each family member with Medicare. Everyone’s drug needs are unique.
- Consider getting a drug plan that pays for drugs in the coverage gap if you have high drug costs. (This helps you if your drug costs are high enough to put you into the coverage gap, but not high enough to get you out of it. This type of plan may also help if you cannot afford to spend the out-of-pocket amount needed to reach catastrophic coverage or if you prefer to make the same copayments throughout the year.)
- Apply for “Extra Help” with paying for Medicare Part D through the Social Security Administration or your state and local Medicaid office. Or you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-877-486-2048)
- Take advantage of programs that help pay the cost of prescription drugs and other needs, such as utilities, food or rent.
