Quick Ways to Save on Healthcare

By the DoItYourself.com Staff

This guide will discuss quick ways you can easily save money on healthcare and prescriptions. Not everyone knows that you can get a discount off of any prescription you fill and that those doctor visit fees or lab test fees are negotiable.

Can We Talk?

The uninsured are more likely to put off their medical needs until necessity forces them to use emergency services, which are more costly. Save yourself the stress and money by talking about your situation with your doctor, who usually discounts services in these situations. Don’t wait for the good doctor to bring it up! Just because the receptionist knows you are a “self pay,” do not assume the most important person of all knows--your doctor.

There is nothing wrong with negotiating the price of a doctor’s visit, medical test, or X-ray. You would negotiate the rate of a contractor doing work on your house, right? You would ask the car salesman if that is the best deal he can give you. So, why not ask for discounted healthcare rates when you need it? The fact is, most people are simply afraid to ask, but really, what is the worse case scenario if you do? Will your doctor laugh in your face and say no? If he/she does I suggest you find a new doctor. Realistically if you simply tell your doctor that you have no insurance, no more will need to be said and he will discount the fees and give you free samples if needed. They know it is tough for the uninsured and doctors often go out of their way to help, and with a smile on their faces as well.

Just to be sure your doctor remembers your situation, remind him/her that you are uninsured the next time he/she suggests lab work, X-rays or tests and ask what your options are. For example, sometimes a doctor can tell by looking at your throat that you have strep. Why then go through the expense of a throat culture? Another example is that often times doctors can send you for a barium X-ray in lieu of an MRI which will provide considerable savings. And don’t forget to ask for a discount at the X-ray or blood testing labs to save even more.

If asking for help bothers you vow (to yourself) to pay the doctor when you have money, or to send a little at a time, or donate money to your doctor’s charity of choice once you get back on your feet. You can even make a vow to help someone else in need as soon as you can. It may be the most uncomfortable moment thus far of your life, but in these situations you have to do what you have to do and if this is the only way you can afford medication without committing a crime or borrowing yet again then why not try it? When you’re at home, medication in hand and ailment at bay, you’ll be glad you did.

Up it, Split it, Save it

There are other easy ways your doctor can help you save on medication by giving you free samples. For example, if you take a five mg. pill twice per day, ask your doctor if he can prescribe a 10 mg. pill which you will just cut in half (this doesn’t work with all medications.) The reason for this is because most medications charge per pill, not per strength, especially when there is only a five mg. difference. This world is all about convenience and you are paying for the convenience of having your small five mg. doses created into separate pills. This saves you the trouble of cutting the pills—but you pay for this. By cutting your pills you can save big! For example, if you take five mg of Crestor twice per day you could be paying $2.63 per pill or $157.80 per month. If you were prescribed a 10 mg pill at $2.63 per pill and you split that pill in half you are now paying only $1.31 per five mg. pill and saving yourself about $79 per month! Start Small

Also, if your doctor has prescribed a new medicine, such as allergy pills or cholesterol medicine, ask for a trial sample, or a prescription for a few pills to see how you tolerate the medicine. You can also see if the manufacturer offers a free trial. Often times patients fill full prescriptions for medicines new to their bodies, such as allergy, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid medicine, etc. only to find it upsets their stomach or makes them ill and they must be switched to a different brand or dosage. Unfortunately, once your fill a prescription you’re stuck with it, plus you have to shell out more money for a new prescription.

Generics

What are generics? When a pharmaceutical company obtains FDA approval for a medicine, they only have exclusivity to the patent for about 20 years. During those 20 years they market like bandits to embed the brand name into patient’s minds. But, after 20 years other pharmaceutical companies can then seek approval from the FDA to market a generic equivalent to the medicine.

There are huge savings to be had by asking the doctor to approve a generic version of your prescription if it is available. It will be the same strength as the name brand version, but the packaging won’t be as pretty and the taste may not be as good. But the savings will make you think that generics are they best things since Brad Pitt.

Free Screenings and Classes

Many hospitals and clinics offer free medical screening and health tests throughout the year. This can range from free mammograms, skin cancer checks, diabetes screening, cholesterol and blood pressure screening, and many more. These are offered free, but normally you must register in advance. Call hospitals in your area, or check online, to see the types of screening each offers. The importance of these free tests and screening are that they help the uninsured and underinsured detect early illness, or learn tips on prevention

Become a Ghost Shopper

This may be an odd suggestion, but certain ghost shopping companies are hired by doctors, dentists, and optometrists to have their services evaluated. Or, sometimes a pharmaceutical company will hire people with certain conditions to see if doctor’s recommend their drugs over that of their competitors. More and more wellness centers, spas, physical therapy clinics, and optometrist clinics are franchises. This means that one company has run a successful company and now they are licensing their business process to others (i.e. Pearl Vision is a franchise). Franchisees (the person who bought the rights to use the business name) have to uphold to certain standards such as customer service, appearance, and procedures. To make sure each store is living up to the agreement; the franchisor (company that sold the rights to use the business process) uses ghost shoppers who then submit reports. Whatever this reason, this means you get reimbursed for your routine check-up, teeth cleaning, and eye exam and glasses. Often times this equals a couple of hundred dollars in services and product. You should never have to pay to be a ghost shopper. The most painful part of the application process should not go beyond filling out the application.

Discounted Prescription Programs

Many pharmaceutical companies, physician networks, and private networks offer discounts on healthcare and prescriptions. Many of these programs are a nice benefit for people who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but who have no health insurance and want to save money. These programs allow you to save 10% or more every time you fill a prescription.

Pfizer Friends

Anyone without prescription coverage, regardless of income can sign up for Pfizer Friends and receive discounts on their medications. Medications include Accupril, Arthrotec, Covera, Detrol, Dilantin, Glucotrol, Lipitor, Minizide, Neurontin, Relpax, Viagra, Vistaril, Zarontin, Zoloft, and Zyrtec.

Pfizer Share Card

If you quality for Medicaid, they offer the Pfizer for Living Share Card (800)/717-6005 that provides a 30-day supply of each Pfizer drug such as Zoloft, Lipitor and Zithromax for only $15 per month.

Benefit House

Another free discount program is offered at Benefit House. Two prescription discount programs are available for free at this site. First, there is The Kmart Discount Prescription Card and secondly there is the ScribsSolutions Card which is accepted at Dominick’s, Kmart, Wal-mart, Target, Walgreens, Sam’s, Eckerd Drugs, Rite Aid, Krogers and Safeway among many others. When the cashier rings up the amount, a message is sent to ScripsSolutions, who then responds with the discount to be applied to the medication.

The only downfall is that you will not know what your discount is until you purchase the drug. When the cashier rings up the amount, a message is sent to ScripsSolutions, who then responds with the discount to be applied to the medication.

RXOutreach

RXoutreach offers assistance with over 100 medications. You pay a small co-pay of $20 or $30 for a three month supply. This is an incredibly simple program to join.

Together Rx Access

This is a prescription savings program sponsored by 10 pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer. It provides savings on a wide range of prescription products at the pharmacy counter to eligible patients without prescription coverage.

Merck Prescription Discount Program

Merck offers two types of discounts for the uninsured, or those without prescription coverage. First, you can instantly print out a discount card online and save 10% at the pharmacy. For even great savings (up to 40%) enroll in the Merck Prescription Discount Program. About a week after registering you will receive a program booklet listing pharmacies in your town that accept the card, along with your personalized discount card. State Pharmacy Assistance Programs (SPAP)

Most states have pharmacy assistance programs sometimes confusingly referred to as SPAPs, but not to be mistaken for the PAP (the patient assistance program which we cover late.) SPAPs were designed to help those who make too much to quality for Medicaid, but too little to afford their medications, the elderly, low income, and those with disabilities. State’s usually host two programs: one where the enrollee pays a small copay for their prescription, and the other which provides a discount at the pharmacy.

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