Fighting Back: Take Charge of Prescription Drug Costs

Prescription drug costs are, unfortunately, a fact of life for the 47 million Americans who lack health insurance, as well as for those with health insurance but with poor, or erratic, prescription drug coverage.

With some drugs costing hundreds of dollars per month, or some consumers taking two, three, four, or more drugs per month, what can consumers do to control costs? Consider these alternatives to high medication expenses:

Discount cards. If you qualify for Medicare, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE to learn about the new prescription coverage plan. You can also purchase a discount prescription card for approximately $30 per year, to help supplement the $600 cap on prescription drug coverage. All of these programs are age and income-based, so please call to learn more about your eligibility.

State pharmaceutical assistance programs. Many states offer prescription drug programs that are separate from Medicare. Programs vary state-to-state, so check yours for details; the American Association of Retired Persons offers valuable information on these programs.

Play the promotions. Some savvy consumers juggle prescriptions by pitting one pharmacy against another. For instance, at times CVS offers $25 for a new or transferred prescription. At other times, Target's pharmacy offers a $10 gift card for new or transferred prescriptions. Some consumers take their prescription to Target and get the $10 gift card. The next month, they transfer the prescription to CVS to get the $25 discount. The next month, back to Target-and so on. It's legal, and as long as you follow the pharmacies' fine print, it's simply a clever strategy to help stretch your family's budget.While these ideas won't eliminate expensive drug costs, they can help alleviate some of the budget pain caused by high medications costs. Consumers should never skimp on prescription drugs; while choosing between utilities and prescription drugs may be a tough call for those with severe income problems, taking medications as prescribed is crucial for proper health. Many medications must be consumed on a daily basis: recent news articles detail stories of senior citizens who take medications every other day, or take half-doses, to stretch out medication. Always take medication as prescribed.

Assistance programs for other areas, such as food, rent, or heating expenses, can help to free up money for prescription drugs for those on a limited income, Check with your state to learn more about such programs. In the meantime, smart consumers can reduce pharmacy costs if they use good old-fashioned frugality and ingenuity.