Senior Prescription Discounts | Schmakel Smile Design

The high cost of keeping healthy weighs heavily on many people’s minds, and that’s especially true for senior citizens. Medication and medical care costs can seriously impact retirees and others on a fixed income. However, there are several ways to receive senior prescription discounts. All it takes is a few questions and a bit of research.

Start at the Doctor’s – or Dentist’s – Office

Before your health care professional tears off that prescription (or emails it to the pharmacy), take a moment or two to talk about it. You should always find out the critical information, such as what it’s for, the dosage, and possible side effects. But ask him or her about the cost of the medication and if there are acceptable generic alternatives. Often, your they’ll even be able to tell you some of the most inexpensive places in town for filling that prescription.

Next Stop: The Internet

Today’s seniors are Internet savvy, and when it comes to learning about their medications and available discounts, it’s an excellent place for them to put their tech skills to use.

One of the best sites for prescription drug information is Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs. The drug reports include an easy-to-read review of the scientific evidence comparing drugs in a similar category (such as for high cholesterol or coronary-artery disease), and includes detailed descriptions of how the drugs work, and lower-cost alternatives, if available. The reports and cost updates, list average retail prices for every drug in the category, also note “Best Buy” choices, based on evidence of safety, effectiveness, and cost.

In addition to uncovering information about medications, there are many Internet sites where seniors can print or download a prescription discount card. These discount programs are sponsored by various organizations, and although enrollment is free for the programs, they differ in eligibility requirements, so read be sure to read the fine print.

Ohio’s Best Rx – This prescription drug discount card program was created to lower the cost of prescriptions for all Ohio residents. Ohio Residents who are either age 60 and over or any age with incomes less than 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible to receive additional savings. Rather than paying a participating pharmacy’s usual charge to an individual with no drug insurance coverage, a Best Rx participant pays the “Best Rx price.” This price is based on the average of what the state employee and state retiree health plans pay for that prescription, minus any rebate offered to the program by the drug’s manufacturer. There are small additional fees to cover the pharmacist’s professional services and the administration of the program. The card is accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide; it is the same program offered through the Golden Buckeye Card.

Ohio Drug Card – Ohio residents are eligible for discounts through the Ohio Drug Card program. The program can be used to supplement most health insurance plans including Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and High Deductible Plans. It can also be used as a Medicare Part D supplement by providing discounts on non-covered drugs. There are no restrictions for this program or eligibility requirements for this program. Cardholders pay the lower of a discount off Average Wholesale Price-AWP, discount off MAC Pricing, or Pharmacy Promotional/Retail price. According to the website, cardholders save an average of 30% on prescriptions, and it is accepted at more than 68,000 pharmacies across the country.

AARP – You do have to be a member of AARP, Inc., to take advantage of their prescription discount, however, membership in the prescription discount program is free. AARP® Prescription Discounts that offers free discounts to AARP members, their spouses, and dependents including children, grandchildren and stepchildren on prescriptions. According to the site, participants can save an average of 61% on all FDA-approved generic, brand name, or specialty drugs, not covered by current prescription insurance or Medicare Part D plan. The program is accepted at 66,000 participating pharmacies in the United States and its territories or through our mail service provider.

Don’t Forget Your Pharmacy

Many area pharmacies, especially those affiliated with national chains, offer their own in-house prescription discount program. Call or stop in and ask if yours offers one; if not it may pay to shop around. Once again, you can use the Internet to aid in your search.