Shopping for Drugs
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Comparing Prices
- Therapeutic Drug Substitution
- Pill Splitting
- Generic Drug Substitutes
- Switching to Over-the-Counter Drugs
- Mail-Order Pharmacies
- Global Options
- Financial Assistance to Lower Drug Costs
- Price Comparisons for Specific Drugs
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Appendix
- About the Author
Financial Assistance to Lower Drug Costs
Doctors are often provided free samples by drug manufacturers, and there are programs to assist patients who must pay some or all of their drug bills. In addition to smart shopping, patients can save by taking advantage of these opportunities.
"About half the money pharmaceutical companies spend on marketing is for physicians' drug samples."
Free Samples. About half of the money pharmaceutical companies spend on marketing is for drug samples for physicians to hand out to patients.67 Physicians like this practice since it allows them to do something for their patients at no cost to either. Patients also like the practice since they feel they are getting something for nothing. In addition, free samples allow patients to try new therapies before purchasing expensive drugs. And for many patients, free samples are a convenience, allowing them to begin treatment without waiting for a prescription to be filled.
However, critics charge that drug samples strongly influence prescribing behavior. Often, the key to a sale is getting a sample into the hand of a patient with a chronic condition. Estimates vary, but Ipsos PharmTrends, a syndicated service that tracks consumer drug purchase behavior, claims that up to 50 percent of those who receive a sample prescription ultimately have it refilled with the same drug.68 Although free samples reduce the initial treatment cost, patients should consider costs over the long term. Drug firms do not sample their cheaper products facing generic competition. They sample only their latest, most expensive medications.69 For chronic conditions, patients may want to ask about alternative products that might be both effective and less expensive.70
Pharmaceutical Company Assistance Programs.71 Many drug companies have programs to assist low-income, disabled or elderly individuals with the cost of drugs.72 Web site www.helpingpatients.org describes numerous drug company programs to assist seniors with drug needs. Many of these programs provide a discount card that patients can use at their local pharmacy. For example, Together RX is a joint program that covers more than 150 different drugs. Participating companies include Novartis, Abbott, AstraZeneca, Aventis, Ortho-McNiel, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline and Janssen pharmaceuticals. Medicare beneficiaries having no drug coverage are eligible if their annual income is less than $28,000 for an individual or $38,000 per couple. Discounts range from 20 percent to 40 percent.
Novartis has its own Novartis Care Card. Medicare beneficiaries with no drug coverage and income no greater than 300 percent of the federal poverty level qualify. The discount is the same as the Together RX program for Novartis products - typically 25 percent to 40 percent. GlaxoSmithKline has a medical savings program for seniors called the Orange Card. To be eligible, one must be a Medicare beneficiary without drug coverage whose income is no greater than $26,000 per individual or $35,000 per couple. The savings average about 30 percent. The Pfizer Share Card is particularly generous, charging a flat $15 for each 30-day prescription. It is available to Medicare beneficiaries without drug coverage whose income is no greater than $18,000 for individuals or $24,000 per couple.
Lilly Answers is a discount program for seniors and people with disabilities. This program covers all Eli Lilly and Company products except controlled substances. To qualify for this program, one must have income of less than $18,000 as an individual or $24,000 as a couple. It too is very generous, with a $12 flat rate for each 30-day prescription.
"Most states have drug assistance programs for low-income, elderly and/or disabled patients."
State Drug Assistance Programs. Slightly less than three-quarters of states have created or authorized a drug assistance program for the low-income, the elderly and/or the disabled. Just over half the states provide some type of direct subsidy, while nine states give a discount but not a subsidy.73 In addition, many states provide drug subsidies under the Medicaid program. Persons can find out if they qualify for a government or private drug assistance plan by filling out the questionnaire on the Web site of the National Council on Aging at http://www.benefitscheckup.com/.
