The Fat Problem

With physicians and other medical personnel writing an average of 72 million prescriptions in the U.S. each year, chances are good that at one point or another, you will purchase prescription medications. It’s no secret that prescription drugs can be very expensive. In fact, in 2007, Americans spent a staggering $287 billion on prescriptions. You may not know that prices for prescriptions vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, even with insurance. For those looking to save money on their prescription drugs, there are several options for receiving medicine for less money. A few tips include: • Call around to different pharmacies to compare prices. Because prescription prices can vary so much, it’s a good idea to shop around and find out prices for your medicine from a variety of drugstores and pharmacies in your area. • Ask your doctor about vouchers. Drug companies are continually offering savings vouchers, coupons, rebates, and free samples of their prescriptions. Ask your doctor if there are any vouchers or rebates that you could have, and then take advantage of them. Regardless of where you fill the prescription, these coupons will still save you money. • Check online. There are many reputable online pharmacies, and when you don’t need your medication immediately, these can actually be where you will save the most money. Do your research and find a reputable online pharmacy, and then have your prescriptions filled there and shipped to your home. If you do end up buying your prescriptions online, be aware that safety is important. Some of these websites are scams that will sell you counterfeit drugs, which end up being useless at best and dangerous at worst. Any pharmacy you choose, whether online or not, should be properly licensed, and they should have a valid customer service number and pharmacy address. Buying prescriptions can be expensive, but there are many ways that you can save money on your medication.