Knowing Which Prescription Drug Cards are for You

The prices of prescription drugs have now become alarmingly expensive. Because of this even with a health insurance, our medical expenses can still drain our finances. Thankfully, there are prescription drug cards, a health program that that allows us to buy our medicines at cheaper prices. These cards are usually not part of any health insurance. Rather they are supplements for patients to purchase drugs at discount prices.

Prescription drug cards are provided by companies who negotiate discounts with pharmacies on various name and generic brand drugs. The discounts from this negotiation are then passed to the prescription drug cardholders. On average, these cards give a 30 percent discount, but it is possible for a card to offer saving up to 75 percent.

Anyone interested may avail of prescription cards, which come from a variety of sources. However, being a cardholder does not readily mean that you have already saved on your medical expenses. Although there are some, not all prescription cards are offered for free. To determine whether a prescription card will save you money, know should how much it costs, what the process for paying is and how much discount it offers. You should also take into account which medicines are covered by the prescription card. The more common your drug is, the likelier for it to have a discount. If your card covers generic drugs, always choose one as it will probably have a better discount.

One other consideration when deciding to get a discount card is which pharmacies accept the card. Most cards can be used at major pharmacy chains and some independent pharmacies, but some local pharmacies may not honor your card or lower its offered discount. Before getting a prescription drug card, make sure that it is accepted at the pharmacy where you buy your medicine. Additionally, if you are buying from a mail-order pharmacy, know if there are any additional shipping or handling costs, as cards don’t usually cover these expenses.
Some cards – typically those offered by the government – have eligibility limits based on income and age (they commonly restrict people over 65). They are also usually limited to people who have many young children. What’s good about these prescription cards though is that they are usually free or have very low fees.

Some cards are also offered by drug stores and drug manufacturers. Prescription cards from drug stores can only be used when you purchase from the same store. Cards from drug manufacturers may be offered to people who are not covered by prescription plans through their health insurance. (Be aware though that there may be discounts from drug manufacturers that would result in a drug selling at a price lower than the one the discount card offers.) Lastly, there are drug cards that are available to anyone. These restriction-free cards may be a lot more expensive – usually with a recurring fee – but they also give the higher discounts.

Prescription drug cards may not always be the best for everybody. But finding the right one and knowing what it offers for its price can save you a considerable portion of the heavy cost of medication.