3 Ways to Save Money on Pharmaceuticals

a doctor using a stethoscope to measure the blood pressure of a patient

People often go to the pharmacy to stock up on pharmaceuticals. These drugs are prescribed by a licensed physician for a variety of medical-related reasons. Pharmaceutical drugs are medications that can be used to cure, prevent, and treat illnesses, medical conditions, viruses, and diseases. Other reasons why people purchase pharmaceutical drugs include birth control, controlling blood pressure, treating urinary tract infections, and even losing weight. Whatever the reason, prescription drugs are highly sought by people for a variety of reasons.

The largest pharmaceutical companies in the world (including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Roche, Merck, and Sanofi, amongst others), had a combined total revenue of $392.5 billion. The top-selling pharmaceutical drugs include products such as Humira, Eliquis, Revlimid, and Keytruda. Sometimes the costs of purchasing such pharmacy medication can be a bit daunting for patients/customers. Below are a few ways to save money on pharmacy medication.

Try using generic drugs instead.

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One option to follow so that you can save money on pharmacy medication is to look into purchasing generic drugs. These provide buyers an opportunity to get medication that contains the same active ingredients as brand name prescription medication, but at a cheaper price. Many pharmacies will provide generic drug options to patients to help save on costs. When getting a new prescription from your healthcare provider, it helps to ask them if there is a generic brand option.

As long as there aren’t side effects, generic drugs should always be considered when finding alternative ways to save money on pharmaceuticals. You don’t want to have to wait to look into buying products when they’re on sale. Generic priced medication provides the same quality medication while helping a patient to save money.

Check big-box stores for generic medications.

big box store is a large retail store that is a part of a larger chain. Stores like these include Wal-Mart and Target. You can often find great deals on medicine at the pharmacies which are located within these big-box stores. As a shopper at these stores, you can get discounts on such FDA-approved prescription medications like Viagra, Sildenafil, blood pressure medicine, and medicine for sinus infections.

These generic medications come in 30 and 90-day supply increments, for a variety of discounted prices. For instance, when you check the Sildenafil price (which is a generic brand for Viagra) at a big box store, you can find a drug that provides the same quality as Viagra, but for much cheaper. If your medication is not at a pharmacy of your choice within such retail stores, you can check different big-box stores. Using big-box store locations are a good option when trying to save money on pharmaceuticals.

Ask for a larger dose and a larger supply.

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When you go to a warehouse grocery store like Sam’s Club, you are buying items in bulk. Though you might pay more for items like these with a single purchase, in the long run, you’re saving money. If you bought these items individually the cost would be sizeable, so by buying in bulk you can put a little extra cash in your pocket. When you go to a big-box store like Walmart, you can purchase prescription medication in a larger supply. You can also get a larger dose once you figure out how to get a prescription without going to a doctor’s office.

You can contact your doctor’s office, or request a larger supply through telemedicine services when you set up virtual appointments. When you receive these larger doses, you can split them up with a pill-splitter. Check with your doctor first to see if you can purchase your prescription medication in larger doses. Once you get a larger supply of your medicine, you can save money on your pharmacy medicine.

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