Practical Tips to help you be a smarter health care consumer and reduce your prescription drug costs
Many people require prescription medication to function at their best. Yet, prescriptions can be expensive, both with insurance and when a person pays out of pocket. Here are some tips to help keep your drug costs down:
- Understand the details of your plan’s coverage – Review and make sure you understand the basics of your plan. Deductible? Co-pays? Out-of-pocket maximums?
- Use generic drugs – same medications as Brand Name medications at a much lower cost.
- Speak openly with your doctors about the cost – When doctors prescribe a medication, they may have several options to choose from, but they don’t necessarily know which ones are covered in your plan or how much each option will cost.
- Consider using mail order – Most insurance companies will offer a discount on the medications if you order using their mail order pharmacy.
- Choose less expensive altematives – Some medications can cost a lot. There may be an alternative medication that performs a similar function, but costs less.
- Make your pharmacist a member of your team – Pharmacists may suggest a cost-reducing option. Taking a few minutes to talk with your pharmacists could potentially save thousands.
- Look at GoodRx to see if it makes sense to use that instead of running through your insurance plan.
OHB is here to help. If you need help looking for other options, give us a call toll free at 330-633-3837 or click here to email us your name and phone number for us to call you.
