Shopping for Drugs: 2004
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Comparing Prices
- Therapeutic Drug Substitution
- Bulk Buying
- Pill Splitting
- Generic Drug Substitutes
- Switching to Over-the-Counter Drugs
- Weighing the Cost and Benefits of a Drug
- Case Studies: Price Comparisons for Specific Drugs
- Buying Drugs Abroad
- Special Opportunities for Seniors: Medicare Discount Drug Cards
- Financial Assistance to Lower Drug Costs
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Appendix
- About The Author
Financial Assistance to Lower Drug Costs
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.
Pharmaceutical Company Assistance Programs. Many drug companies have programs to assist low-income, disabled or elderly individuals. 119 The Web site www.helpingpatients.org describes numerous drug company programs to assist seniors. 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 with 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.
“Many states and drug companies have programs to assist with drug prices.”
Medicare beneficiaries qualify for the Novartis Care Card if they have no drug coverage and income less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. The discount is the same as the Together RX program for Novartis products — typically 25 percent to 40 percent. GlaxoSmithKline has a drug program called the Orange Card for Medicare beneficiaries without drug coverage whose income is no greater than $26,000 per individual or $35,000 per couple. The savings average about 30 percent.
Eli Lilly and Company offers its products at a discount to seniors and people with disabilities. To qualify for this program, called Lilly Answers, income must be less than $18,000 for individual or $24,000 for couples. It charges a $12 flat rate for each 30-day prescription.
State Drug Assistance Programs. Almost three-quarters of U.S. states have created or authorized a drug assistance program for the low-income, the elderly and/or the disabled. Three-fifths of the states provide direct subsidies, while two-fifths offer drug discounts. 120 In addition, many states provide drug subsidies under the Medicaid program. Patients 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/
