Reader Saves Over $70 per Month on Prescription Drugs

Send this article to a friend.

Printer friendly version.

Reader Saves Over $70 per Month on Prescription Drugs

It pays to talk to your doctor about ways to save on your prescription drugs. On occasion, you can find much cheaper drugs if you know where to look. For example-Aggrenox, a drug used to prevent strokes due to blood clots, can cost $81.67 for 60 tablets, a 30 day supply. The drug contains 200 mg. of aspirin and 25 mg. of dipyridamole. Persantine, which is generic version of the same drug without the aspirin, (25 mg. of dipyridamole alone) sells for just $5.35 for 60 tablets, a 30 day supply. You have to take the aspirin separately-325 mg. of Bayer Aspirin costs $5.49 for 100 tablets, a 100 day supply for me.

After asking my doctor about this, he wholeheartedly approved and changed my prescription enabling me to save the difference.

Prices can be found on the cost page of www.drugstore.com.

I have been buying them with my doctor's full approval. I also save money by purchasing drugs in double strength because they cost only slightly more in the same quantity. By splitting pills in half, I get twice the number of tablets. This won't work for everybody and must first be approved by the doctor. Extreme care must be exercised to split pills accurately due to the possibility of overdosing.

-E.B., Lebanon, PA

Editor's reply:

Seniors who are taking one or more prescription medications may be able to save money by talking to their doctor and their pharmacists. Here is a checklist:

Ask your doctor AND pharmacist if there is a similar lower-priced generic version to your prescription drug.
Shop around and compare prices. Prices on the same prescription can vary dramatically within the same community. Many seniors are finding online pharmacies via the Internet can give them the best savings.
Ask your doctor if he or she recommends buying a higher dosage and splitting the pill to save money. This will not work for every medication. Your pharmacy may sell pill splitters. Miles Kimball, a direct mail catalogue, also sells a magnifying pill splitter for $4.98, (702) 617-3500.

This article first appeared in Volume 6, Issue 2 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (December/January/2001). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here.