| Do you go out of your way to cut out a 50 cent | | | | First, your doctor or pharmacist may have a coupon |
| coupon for bananas or baked beans? Do you search | | | | for a brand name medication - so don't forget to ask |
| online for the best deal on laundry detergent or | | | | (and sometimes their coupons are better discounts |
| fabric softener? | | | | than what you can find online). |
| Sure, these coupons can save you a few bucks a | | | | Next, search online by going to Many brand name |
| month - maybe even fifty, if you're conscientious | | | | drugs have websites you can find in less than a |
| about it. But what if you could save $50 with a single | | | | minute. If you don't find a medication using this |
| coupon? | | | | strategy, search for the manufacturer's website. |
| Now that makes sense, and takes much less time. | | | | When you reach the correct website, look for special |
| I'm talking about coupons toward out-of-pocket | | | | offers, patient information, free trials, etc. For |
| expenses for medications, both prescription and | | | | expensive medications these coupons could save you |
| over-the-counter. Even healthy people with good | | | | as much as $55 a month toward a specific drug. |
| insurance should consider looking for coupons on | | | | If you don't have insurance, search the |
| medications they take only occasionally, such as eye | | | | pharmaceutical websites for patient assistance |
| drops for allergy eyes. | | | | programs, which are based on your annual income. |
| People on chronic medications for diabetes, high | | | | The guidelines for free or reduced cost medications |
| cholesterol, arthritis, heart disease, high blood | | | | may be more liberal than you'd expect. Instead of |
| pressure, asthma, COPD, allergies, and a multitude of | | | | saving $10 or $20 on your medication you may save |
| other conditions should take advantage of coupons | | | | $100 or $200 - or even $1000 or $2000! |
| to offset their co-pay toward (or total cost of) | | | | Over-the-counter medications offer online coupons as |
| prescription drugs. | | | | well, generally for a few dollars off. Since these drugs |
| Over the past decade co-pays on medications have | | | | are inexpensive to start with, the savings will not be |
| increased in order to encourage patients and | | | | as much as on prescription medications. Still, if it's |
| physicians to use lower-priced alternatives. The | | | | worth the price of a hamburger and fries to you, |
| pharmaceutical companies devised an opposing | | | | check online before going to the store for cold |
| strategy whereby they increased the price of their | | | | medicine or an upset stomach. |
| medications but then offered coupons to offset the | | | | Online coupons are also available from chain |
| increase in price. This decreases the out-of-pocket | | | | pharmacies and the major discount stores. Find their |
| expense for insured patients, who like these coupons | | | | website, go to the pharmacy link, then look for |
| because brand-name medications suddenly become | | | | offers for new and transferred prescriptions. You |
| more affordable, on a par with generic medications. | | | | may find that transferring a $5 prescription from one |
| How does a person go about finding coupons for | | | | pharmacy to another nets you $20 toward your |
| medications? | | | | medication or store merchandise. |