By Christina Finkle Are you one of those people who cannot afford your medications or would like to at least save on your overall costs? I know many of my clients consider these issues, so I’ve done a lot of research to help in that regard and am going to share some of that with you this month. Ma...

By Christina Finkle

Are you one of those people who cannot afford your medications or would like to at least save on your overall costs? I know many of my clients consider these issues, so I’ve done a lot of research to help in that regard and am going to share some of that with you this month.

Many of us do not realize that we don’t always have to use our “insurance” when we go pick up our prescriptions. All insurance carriers have what is known as a formulary. What may be considered a tier 1 on one formulary may be listed as a tier 2 or higher on another. There are times when not having your prescription go through your insurance could save you money.

Here are some great ways to save. Many pharmacies have a generic savings list or club. Some you must pay a monthly fee to participate in it, some you may not. My personal favorite generic list is Walmart’s. It is the largest I have found at 5 pages. Their prices are great. $4.00 for a 30 day supply, $10.00 for a 90 day supply. You can find out if your medication is on their list by either looking online or next time you’re in Walmart, stop by the pharmacy counter and ask for a printout. If your medication is on that list and is less expensive than your copay, you simply tell them when you pick it up that you do not want it to be run through your insurance. You’re going to pay for it out of pocket.
Another great way to save is through Blink Health. There are no membership fees or monthly charges. Blink offers everyone access to negotiated prices on over 15,000 medications. They allow you to pick it up at a participating pharmacy and also offer free home delivery. You must have a valid prescription on file with them for delivery or with your participating pharmacy. No insurance information is needed. Your prescription is filled locally. Simply go online to blinkhealth.com, order your medication, pay for it, select pickup or delivery. If you choose to pick it up, make sure you have proof of payment with you to show.

Newer to the market prescriptions are highly expensive even with insurance. I recommend checking out needymeds.org. It is a fantastic website that can show you patient financial assistance programs offered by the Pharmeceutical company that produces your particular medication, it will show you program guidelines and link you right to that particular assistance programs website. There is no charge whatsoever to utilize this website and you do not have to register an email before having access.

I hope you all save this page. You may not need the help right now, but you probably know someone that does. If you cannot find help for your medication or have questions, feel free to email me at s.o.s.seniorsolutions@gmail.com.