Get Free or Low-Cost Medications
Americans pay the most for prescription drugs. Consumer Reports did a survey on prescription medication prices and found that the average price for medications here in the United States is more than in Canada, Australia, France, United Kingdom, Japan and Germany- sometimes costing FOUR TIMES more for the exact same drugs!
Doctor visits, hospital stays, and lab work- these all take a heavy toll on your financial resources. Medications can be a large expense to add on top of it. Luckily, there are a number of resources you can use to get free or low-cost medications. In this article, you'll learn all about them. (And be sure to check out the first link in the resources section to find out get free and low-cost health care for you and your family.)
Instructions
1. Patient Assistance Programs (PAP) are programs offered directly from the pharmaceutical companies. These programs work on a sliding-scale basis to provide you with free or low cost medications. The second link in the resources section below will take you to a list of applications for PAP. In some cases, your meds will even be mailed to your door!
When you go in for a doctor's visit, the nurses can also help you out with getting on a Patient Assistance Program. Just ask!
2. If you have limited financial resources, are in need of free or low-cost medications, and have been prescribed a short-term medication, ask your doctor if she or he has any samples available. Doctors and clinics often have medication samples from the pharmaceutical companies, and they're usually willing to provide you with these if needed.
3. Most name brand drugs have a cheaper, "generic" version of them. The generic medications work just as well as the name brand drugs because they are made with the same formula. There is usually a little box on prescription sheets- ask your doctor to make sure you have the option to get generic medications if they are available from your pharmacy.
4. Planned Parenthood is another option to get free or low cost medications. Many are already aware of Planned Parenthood's birth control assistance (go there for low-cost birth control pills, IUDs, etc), but they also offer other general health care and medications: flu vaccinations, smoking cessation programs, tetanus and other vaccinations, jock itch treatment, urinary tract infection treatments, and much more. The third link at the bottom of this article, in the Resources section, will take you to the Planned Parenthood website.
5. Discount drug cards can help you get free and low cost medications. These programs are like coupons; they give you a certain amount off of your total order and they work like grocery store discount cards. Here is one to get you started:
Washington www.rx.wa.gov/discountcard.html
6. Shop around. Some states even offer their own price comparison databases to help you get low-cost medications.
Connecticut www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?a=2106&q=294076
Florida www.myfloridarx.com
Indiana www.rxforindiana.org
Maryland www.oag.state.md.us/Drugprices/index.htm
Michigan www.michigan.gov/mdch
Minnesota www.minnesotarxconnect.com
Missouri www.morxcompare.mo.gov
New Hampshire www.egov.nh.gov/medicine-cabinet
New Jersey www6.state.nj.us/LPSCA_DRUG/index.jsp
New Mexico www.ago.state.nm.us
New York www.nyagrx.org
Ohio www.agrx.ag.state.oh.us/secured/landing.aspx
Vermont www.atg.state.vt.us/issues/consumer-protection/Prescribed-Products/Prescription-Drug-Price-Finder.php
Washington: www.rx.wa.gov
West Virginia www.wvagrx.com
7. Order free or low cost medications from Canada. As the potential for being scammed while ordering online is high, it is suggested that you only order from government-recommended Canadian online pharmacies. Minnesota, for instance, recommends several online pharmacies- see the Minnesota government website listing above.
Tags: cost medications, free cost, free cost medications, low-cost medications, Planned Parenthood, birth control, brand drugs
