Five Steps to Make Medications Affordable

During my almost 20 years a geriatric care manager I found that a major challenge for many elders’ budgets was the cost of their needed medication. If you are caring for an aging parent, one thing that is very likely that you have noticed is the cost of their medication. If medication costs are eating up both yours and your parent’s income or they simply can’t afford them, the following six steps may help.

1. Contact patient assistance programs. Almost all drug manufacturers have programs that offer free or discounted medication to elderly people that meet a certain criteria in regards to their income. A study was done in 2001 by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers that found 3.5 million seniors received free drugs from their member organizations. If you think your parents may qualify, ask their doctor to contact the manufacturer.

1. Ask for samples. Pharmaceutical sales representatives often give doctors samples of the drugs they are selling. Ask your parent’s doctor if there are sample of the drugs he is prescribing. Even a few weeks worth of medication is a good start especially if you are waiting to see if the drug helps or will be covered under assistance programs.

1. Look for group discounts. If the parent you are caring for is a veteran or a member of another group, drug discounts may be part of member benefits. For example, AARP offers its members savings on brand name drugs and even deeper discounts on generic drugs.

1. Research chain drug store discounts. Many big chains like CVS and Walgreen’s offer discount cards fro frequent buyers. Shoppers can use the cards to get discounts on selected items.

1. Find out what the state you live in offers in way of assistance. Most of the states in our country have put in place programs that provide some sort of assistance to older and disabled citizens who do not have some type of drug coverage. These programs vary greatly from state to state. Some provide unlimited benefits while others have very strict annual caps on service or only cover certain drugs. Regardless of the type of coverage your state offers they are still worth looking into. Every little bit helps.

By using these 5 steps to help reduce the cost of drugs for your aging parents you can keep more money in your pocket and make sure they are getting the care they need.