We could all use some extra money in our pocket. So many moms are returning to work after having kids for the health insurance coverage alone.
Not all maternity leave is paid, so maybe you’re trying to save money for maternity leave.
When you’re a working mom those sick days aren’t just for you anymore. Here’s a familiar conundrum for you…
Let’s say you’re low on sick and vacation days but you or your kid is sick. Now you need to take leave without pay, yet you have doctor and pharmacy bills adding up in the background.
What if you couldn’t afford the medication?
It’s going to take longer to heal which means more unpaid time off of work.
What if you found the money to pay, but the copays, deductibles or cash costs were setting you back?
I have some tips to help you save money on medication costs so you can use that money elsewhere like groceries, family vacations or self care investments.
As a Pharmacist, I have had countless moms tell me that they feel vulnerable and like they’re being cheated out of money. Working hard for a good cause and feeling ripped off as a result is frustrating.
I’ve helped many working moms in your same situation for over 15 years with great results. I want the same for you.
The goal of this post is to guide you through 7 different ways you can start saving time and money on prescription medications.
Here are 7 options to save you time and money at the pharmacy counter.
You can find something to benefit you here whether you have insurance or not. Starting these are free for you so give it try and see what works for you and your family.
7 ways to save time and money on prescriptions
1. Generics and Independent Pharmacies
First of all, don’t neglect your local independent pharmacy.
These pharmacists typically have more time to not only provide one on one consultations with you but to also go the extra mile in helping you get the most cost effective medications.
Just like with big name pharmacies versus smaller independent pharmacies, there is a misconception that brand name medication automatically means better quality. This is not the case.
Going the generic route for your medications can be a life changing experience for your wallet. This is definitely a more bang for your buck type of situation.
For the most part, insurance companies will automatically default to the generic option and with good reason.
The FDA approved generics have the same medicine in them as their brand name counterparts. This means that they are just as effective and cost way less.
Think about Tylenol. When you go to different pharmacies you will see different companies making their own generic which is called Acetaminophen.
Somewhere on the package of Acetaminophen it will say “compare to Tylenol active ingredient”. The Acetaminophen works just as well.
However, it is important to note that although the active ingredients are the same the inactive ingredients may vary among the generic manufacturers.
You can easily find out by doing a little research to see what the inactive ingredients are.
For example, I once had a client that could not tolerate the blue dye in one of her generics, so I switched her to another generic and all was well.
2. Blink Health
Blink Health serves all Americans by offering savings on prescription medications. The great thing is that it doesn’t matter if you’re insured or uninsured.
This is an important benefit to pay attention to because sometimes insurance can play a role.
With Blink Health you get some of the lowest prices on over 15,000 medications! Check to see if they offer savings on your medications.
If you’re happy with their costs, then you just pay online and then head to one of their participating pharmacies to pick it up.
You also have the option of a free home delivery with free shipping too! Only two tips in and you’re already saving time right?! Free. Home. Delivery. Yes please!
There’s just something glorious about ordering stuff with the bonus of free shipping in my P.J.’s.
Basically Blink Health has a pharmacy that will work with your doctors and pharmacist to complete prescription transfers, refills and more.
You even have Pharmacists and awesome customer service available to your own answer questions.
All of this takes place in the United States and it’s free to use.
Another awesome feature is their price match guarantee. Blink Health is not playing around here mama.
They state on their website that they guarantee you the lowest price on your generic drugs if you make the purchase through them.
Blink Health will not only match a lower price if you find one but they will even refund you the difference! *Boom…Mic drop*
Blink Health states to think of them as the cure for high drug prices.
It’s definitely worth giving it a try and seeing what they can do for you. Visit their website for more details.
3. Coupons
This site Rxpharmacycoupons.com has great reviews and is a good place to start.
It’s a database full of numerous classes of prescription and non prescription medications with direct links to the manufacturer coupons, vouchers, rebates, copay programs and more.
Your doctor may have a stash of coupons and you can always go directly to the manufacturer as well.
Pharmacy coupons have come a long way. It’s much easier for the pharmacist to process these coupons now because the information they need to enter into their computer systems is all on the card.
I used prenatal vitamin coupons for months during my pregnancy.
4. Insurance preferred pharmacy
First, let me say that you have a choice here. With insurance you may have what’s called preferred and non-preferred pharmacies.
Basically, if you choose one of their preferred pharmacies you get a cheaper copay.
It may be worth looking into if you don’t know if your current pharmacy is preferred by your insurance. This is an easy fix by contacting your insurance to find out.
In my case, I found out the my insurance preferred pharmacy provided me with the option of getting a 3 month supply at once at a rate cheaper than getting it monthly.
Being so busy, I found this an added bonus that not only saved money, but valuable time and precious mom brain power.
5. Discount cards
While coupons are specific to the one medication, the discount cards I’m discussing here can save you money on whatever medications the card covers.
There are a lot of options out there.
One of the best reputable examples of pharmacy discount cards is GoodRx. You can visit their website to search your meds and quickly locate participating pharmacies.
They have a tool where you can compare drug costs at multiple pharmacies in your local area.
I gave it a try and found a range from $6.00 to $15.56 for the same medication. Hopefully you can use it to save some money. Click here to access the tool.
They even go on to give you different strategies on ways to save further such as 90-day supplies, lower cost alternatives to request and more.
Internet pharmacy safety
My first concern is your safety when going the online route. Read here for details on some ways you can tell if a website is safe in regards to purchasing medications and such.
6. Samples
Most doctors will offer these up in a heartbeat. Ask for free samples from the doctor.
They may just have a couple days, but often times you can get a jump start on therapy by a month or so.
I received a free sample of Vitamin D drops at my son’s first doctor’s appointment. As a brand new mom I was so thankful.
I was exhausted and still healing. The samples lasted a month which was great! You never know unless you ask.
7. Pharmacy programs
Pro Tip : Research different pharmacies and simply switch to one that meets your financial needs if insurance is not an issue.
It’s not uncommon for different pharmacies to charge different prices for the same medication when it’s off insurance.
Just don’t have multiple pharmacies filling the same prescriptions from different doctors. This is a red flag. The pharmacies most likely will find out and the let the doctors know.
Discounted medication programs have been a rising trend among retail pharmacy chains.
There many pharmacies offering these types of discounted programs, so just do a quick Google search of your local pharmacies and see what’s happening in your area.
For the sake of time I will detail Publix and Wal-Mart Pharmacies on this post.
Publix Pharmacy
Publix pharmacy has a couple of convenient options to choose from.
Free Medications
Select high blood pressure and diabetes medications for up to 90 days and some of the most common antibiotics for up to 14 days are available for free. This isn’t just a one time deal either.
These medications will continue to be free to you for as long as your doctor prescribes them to you. If you need more days on the antibiotic, then just ask your doctor for another script and you’ll get that one free as well.
Do you not have a Publix pharmacy in your area? Here’s a direct link to a blog post that gives you 6 other pharmacies that offer free antibiotics. Check it out later and see if there are any in your area.
Discounted medications
If you don’t see your maintennce medication on the free list, then take a look at Publix’s $7.50 medication list.
You can get up to a 90 day supply for $7.50.
Easy pharmacy switch
This program is available to new customers as well and Publix saves you time on switching pharmacies if you need to.
You can set up a pharmacy transfer right from the site by clicking here.
Wal–mart Pharmacy
The medication lists and offers at Wal-Mart Pharmacy differ from other programs. I have found it to be quite comprehensive.
This is why it’s important to take a look at different pharmacies and see where you can get the most bang for your buck.
Wal Mart is more inclusive with a robust list of the conditions they cover.
Their lists include discounts on medications used to treat cholesterol, diabetes, digestion, family planning, heart health, blood pressure, mental health, thyroid, vitamins and nutrition.
Different options
You can get a 30 day supply for $4 or $9 depending on the prescription.
They also offer a 90 day supply for either $10 or $24 also depending on which medication you need.
Click here for the entire list
More pharmacies with prescription discounts
Again, this trend is growing. Here’s a list from 2012 from Consumer Reports that gives quick details on 7 other major pharmacy chain discount programs.
How will you save?
Do you have one big ticket script that you need to save money on? Leave a comment and let me know if any tip works for you.
Save time looking all over for ways to save money on scripts with 7 ways right here for you.
This is for you if you want to stop throwing your money away. You want other options besides working extra; you want the opportunity and peace of mind to look into it and see how you can benefit your family.
I hope this post takes away that helpless and vulnerable feeling and made you feel empowered to know you have options here.
Share with a friend
Do you know another hard working mom that could benefit from saving time and money at the pharmacy counter as well? Feel free to share this post and let her know.
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