- Know that medication prices are not the same across the board
- When filling your medication if the cost seems high ask the pharmacist if it would be cheaper to use a drug discount card, copay coupon, or other available programs.
- Do your Annual Coverage Review
- Insurance Plans change their Drug Formulary Yearly. While this year your medication could be $5.00 next year that same medication could cost you $50.00. It is always important to double-check your coverage to ensure you are not overpaying.
- Ask if there are alternatives that you could take
- Most medications have others within their class and having the names of those alternates will allow you to look in your drug formulary and see which ones are covered and at what tier
- Understand the Drug Formulary Tiers and what they mean
- Tier 1 – Usually limited to generic drugs and offers the lowest copay
- Tier 2 – Comprised of preferred brand name drugs and higher cost generics
- Tier 3 – More expensive brand name drugs that are not preferred by your insurance and will have a significantly higher copay than the Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs
- Tier 4 – This tier encompasses specialty drugs and medications that are newly approved. You may have a specific copay or you may have to pay a percentage of the drug cost depending on the insurer’s policy regarding rates when it comes to tier 4
- Could you try a lifestyle change to treat the condition
- In some cases, a lifestyle change can be the first line of treatment and may include diet changes, quitting smoking, regular exercise, and getting enough rest. While these changes may not be easy, they are also not very costly
If you are struggling to afford your medications we may be able to help. Our Patient Assistance Navigator Crystal has a number of tools at her disposal to identify programs you may qualify for and she can help you apply for them.