Karrie emailed in the following tip:
I don’t know if a lot of people realize it, but many name-brand prescriptions have coupons on their website.
For example, I use a prescription that doesn’t come in generic form. I went on their website and found there was a coupon available for $15 off my purchase of this prescription. Also, I can use the coupon up to six times!
It’s definitely worth a shot to check out the websites for your medications to see if they also offer coupons. One minute worth of my time to check is saving me $90! -Karrie
Thank you so much for this. I was able to find a $10 rebate for my daughter’s (very expensive) eye drops. Every little bit helps!
My peditrician knows I am a couponing mom and always gives me coupons. She always ask, “Where is there a coupon for a prescription–since I always try to get a gift card with a prescription.
Recently I earned $300 at Harris Teeter. (My daughter was diagnose with bipolar and we have had to try many medicines–thankfully she is finally found the right one and is stable.)
THAT IS GREAT TO KNOW!!! THANKS FOR THE INFO KARRIE!!
I work at a pharmacy and I always try to help the customers find coupons for their meds. My favorite website is http://www.internetdrugcoupons.com
Lori: take the coupon back to the pharmacy with your receipt. They can rebill your script and refund you the difference!
http://www.swagbucks.com/p/health-advantage
This is a prescription discount card program. I have saved a lot of money on my prescriptions. It is free and simple. They have a drug pricing option, which you can use to look up pharmacies that take the card, and who offers the cheapest price with the card(sometimes the pharmacy price is cheaper, but usually the card saves at least a few dollars). One of my prescriptions was about half price with the swagbucks card, saving us about $80.00 a month.
Carrie, do you know if you can use this card if you have prescription drug coverage with your health insurance? For instance, through my health insurance, our copay for generic meds is $8. I have 3 daily meds and my daughter has 1 daily med that all come in generic form, so I already pay very little for these meds. I wonder if using this card could save me more? Do you by any chance know?
Emily,
I am pretty sure it is not used alongside an insurance program, but the price using the card could possibly be cheaper than your copay. I guess it depends on the med and the pharmacy. This is a link to the discount drug and pharmacy search tool for the discount program I linked to earlier:
https://www.paramountrx.com/client/fmhac/Home.aspx
You can search for the meds in question, then enter in number, and your zipcode, and it will give you the prices at local pharmacies, using the card. I still contact the pharmacies directly as well, because sometimes they have an even lower cash price. I have often been pleasantly surprised. When you try to use the card, if the pharmacy cash price is lower than the card price, you pay the lowest price. I hope that helps you!
I just wanted to amend my earlier writing… I have saved a lot of money with this card over the last several years at three different pharmacies; but I just went to pick up my rx’s at my United pharmacy and they denied the card(I have used it there many times). They said that they were not being reimbursed by the program as they were supposed to have been. The drug search website for the card still lists them as a participating pharmacy, though. I don’t know if it is just that particular pharmacy, or if that is the case with others, too. I didn’t want anyone else to get a rude shock the way I did!
I also do this for my migraine medications. Most of the major migraine meds have some sort of coupon/copay card (Maxalt, Relpax, Treximet). These are really expensive even with my good insurance. Right now I use Relpax because it is cheaper. They offer a $10 copay card that Kroger Pharmacy will use with your insurance!! I hope lots of people look at that link Lana posted because it found the ones I currently use!
Groan … I just refilled a prescription today, and NOW I REMEMBER that I had a manufacturer coupon I printed a month ago that I should have used to cover my copay today. Thanks for the reminder … but I’ll be kicking myself the rest of the night, dang it!
My dad had a heart attack last April and one of the medicines that he was put on was Lipitor. His co-pay for it was $50…but Lipitor has a card that you can get and only have to pay $4. It saved my parents quite a bit since he needs it every month.
Also, I thought I would mention…my parents insurance is thru Blue Cross, but their prescription coverage is thru Medco. My mom called Medco to see if it would be any cheaper to get the prescriptions directly thru them since my dad is on a number of things now. You have to get them 3 months at a time, but they are saving over $900 a year now, just getting them sent directly from Medco, versus filling at Rite Aid. It’s definitely worth checking out!!!!!
Also, consider researching your diagnosis and trying alternative or natural ways to cope with your ailment (if it’s not life threatening, of course). My daughter was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and she started prescriptions for it. The cost of the scripts was outrageous and something we could only afford for a few months. We researched how to alter her diet and things to add to her diet to help with it and she has been successful doing that. I’m so glad we did this because now there is a lawsuit involving the exact medication she was originally prescribed because it causes severe liver damage. If you can stay away from prescription medications, I highly recommend it. I’m almost 50 and have never taken prescription medications. I’m very proactive with my exercise and diet, though, so that I can avoid medications at all costs.
Penny T: Could you possibly share the diet or direct me to a website? Thank you.
I had a case of pretty extreme hypothryoidism last year. I had almost every single symptom of it & was also put on medicine. I was supposed to be on this medicine for “life”. I was 26 about to be 27 and had recently got into herbs & nutrition due to a virus that attacked my liver. Thankfully I was able to heal myself from that. But the thyroid issue was very new to me. I had never really known what the thyroid was for & had heard very little about hypothyrodisim. So I researched everyday & was able to get off of my medicine within a month due to many changes. As I felt better I started taking half of my pill and then got off of it completely. I could finally loose weight and went from 158-160 to 133-136 in less than 6 months. I gradually cam off my pills throughout a month. And the doctor told me to stop taking it because as I got better the pill was having more side effects on me. As soon as I got off the pill (levothyroxine) my symptoms/side effects went away. So here is the majority of what I did. The most important healing factor is your DIET…If you do not change that you will most likely be enslaved to medicines for a somewhat normal life…..
* Diet (( I cut out the folllowing: processed foods, corn syrup/ any unnatural sugars, meat (ate sparingly), added salt (unless it was pure sea salt) dairy ( Almond milk is good & has more calcium than cow’s milk) & gluten. Organics as most if not all of us know are a must have, when your thyroid and body is not working properly you can not afford any extra chemicals in your system.Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo (google her website) I have follwed her advice and seen dramatic changes in my health. I never paid for any of her services. I just read the information on her site & e-mails & also from her I ate most of my foods raw & lot’s of green smoothies. Green smoothies are a mixture of fruits & veggies & a easy way to get a lot of vitamins & minerals in one serving. I also ate Brazil nuts, Chia seeds, & Kelp (buy powdered & put in your smoothie), cinnamon ( put in your smoothie), & garlic (nature’s antibiotic, I would chop small & swallow as pills with almond milk.). All of these I tried to take daily because they nourish your thyroid. I also limited salt & ate most things in their natural form without cooking them. But things like baked sweet potatoes & squash, steamed spinach & vegetables nourish as well. Since it’s getting close to summer, it will be much easier to eat an almost raw diet. You can do it!!!
* Sleep & Deep Breathing: Is a must to nourish your body & especially your adrenals. They work hand in hand with your thyroid. Mainstream doctors rarely address adrenals & that is why a lot of women on thyroid medications still have many issues. Believe me I was there, & it was difficult as a mother of 5 children under age 8. I would go to bed no later than 10:00p.m. starting out and sleep in as late as I could. But once you change your diet you will have an abundance of energy and not be as tired as before. It is amazing how quickly our health can change from just diet alone. I would also take a nap sometimes when my kids napped and focus breathing in counting to five and out counting to seven. Try it for 3-5 mintues. You will see how much calmer & better you will feel just by breathing deeply. Alot of us breath to shallow. Breathing deeply sends more oxygen in your system which in return nourishes our body. Shallow breathing causes constriction of the chest & lung tissue over time & decreases oxygen flow to your tissues. We need oxygen no only to live, but even more when we are in an unhealthy state. It makes all the difference in the world for our lymphatic system.
* Mind: Stress & tension wreck havoc on our bodies. Yet it’s so easy to not see that we are stressed, tense, and frusterated easily. Is it fun to have a bunch of health problems that others don’t seem to understand. No. Will it get better overnight. No. Will you feel alone at times. Probably. But focusing on things of that nature plue the everyday issues of life will only add to our health issues. Stress is toxic for our bodies. Check out this link & then put a smile on your face. http://www.stress.org/topic-effects.htm Smiling & deep breathing will make you feel like a new person. It will probably seem silly & fake at first, but the results will be immediate. You will feel better about yourself & also whatever situation you are in. Also don’t compare yourself to others. “Why are “they” healthy?” “They eat horrible, do this & that, and they are fine!”. Everyone is different and believe me, if you mistreat your body it WILL catch up with you. Although I would not wish what I had on anyone, unfortunately we so often do the most harm to our ownselves. Comparing ourselves only robs us of peace, joy, & contentment that we could definately use in any health situation. Our health can seem really bad, but remember someone always has it worse than we do. Just because someone appears “healthy & fine” it is not always that way. It’ not always immediate, but everything we eat, breathe, touch, & think has an effect on us. If people seen me during my worst with my thyroid problems, I looked like a normal 26/27 year old. But I was far from normal or healthy…………
* Exercise: When you are in the “deep” stages of a thyroid battle, you are super weak, fatigued, & feel like you can hardly do anything. So start small. I would walk fast throughout my house for about 5-10 minutes. Then from there I could push myself more and add basic exercises. Also get out in the sunshine and fresh air. Alot of people are lacking in Vitamin D, we are inside too much. Kick off your shoes and walk/play outside with children, grandchildren, or yourself. Have a picnic, read a book, savor some warm herbal tea, make a phone call. Whatever you do, just get outside as much as possible. Also make it a habit to open your windows. The air inside of our home can be more toxic than the air outside. Fresh air is a must for me. No matter how cold it is outside, I will have at least one window open for a while to let more air in & stale & toxic air out. Which goes into my next topic…
* Water/Air/& Chemicals- I began to have many problems with chemicals. Incense, cleaning products, perfume, etc would bother me greatly. My body was too overburden with my thyroid dysfunction & struggling adrenals. Things that before didn’t bother me were now making me feel dizzy & uneasy. So we have to be on guard in what we allow in our homes. The toxins of many chemicals come in pretty packaging & bottles with many coupons to make them free or cheap. Something “free” or “cheap” that is harming me, is not really “free” or “cheap”. My body will pay for the havoc it will have in my sytem. I also only drink filtered water. Also forgot to add with the Diet but herbal teas ( Rooibos, Alfalfa, Oat Straw, & Nettles made into teas will give you an abundance of minerals & energy I buy froem Bulk Herb store & Mountain Herbs online). I will not drink unfiltered water unless I was in dire need of water. There is was too many Toxins, Prescription Medications, & even Arsenic, in our water supplys. Research it and you will be stunned!! Also I quit wearing my toxic “perfumes, deoderant ( there are many natural versions that do not contain aluminum), hair products, lotions, etc. Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil is wonderful for your skin & it also smells pretty good. I also found a nice roll on perfume at the Health Food store and it is made of different oils & have found it not to bother me, yet it smells so good! Also be careful with air freshners and cleaning products. If the ingredient list is long and full of words you can’t pronounce or understand, it’s a lot more toxic than you think it is.
So I am not a commentor on blogs. This is probably the longest comment in the history of blogging…Lol…. But if it helps just one person then it was worth it… Also I know that there are many who read this that don’t believe in God or don’t want God in their life. But I will say that his word ( The Bible) is a book like no other. It will give us many answers if we choose to believe them & apply them to our lives. May all of you have a wonderful day. Mrs.Clark
Put on medicine= put on medication. Sorry I tried to type quickly…
Oh, and I was not only healed by the steps I took in my own life. But though the mercy and love of a most merciful Father above. He truely gets all the glory…..
Mrs. Clark: I cannot thank you enough for taking all this time to write such a helpful response. I thank God for you.
I did this during fertility treatments, and saved a bundle on one of the meds I had to take. This is a great tip!
If you have a really expensive med some companies have patient assistance programs. We have a high deductible insurance plan that doesn’t cover ANYTHING until we meet a $3800 deductible. Our income is below that $69k max (for a fam of 4) from the company who produces the medicine so we applied and were approved to be in the program, saving us $186 a month!!!!
Okay…I consider myself a coupon queen, but I never thought to look for MY prescriptions. We always use the rebates offered by my husband’s dermatologist for his creams, but I never thought to check for my own. Great idea! Thanks!
I have gotten discount cards from our kids doctor for their prescriptions and that really helps also. Never hurts to ask.
There is a new smartphone app for Iphone or Androids. It is called Lowest Med. With this app you add the name of the medication you need to fill and it tells you which pharmacy has the best deal in your area. I heard about this on the Clark Howard Show. I don’t have a smartphone but it might work for those who do.
I know I called two weeks ago for my mother-in-law to price a medication for her. At one pharmacy it was $81 and at another pharmacy a few blocks away it was $10 so it was worth the call ahead to check prices.
Here is a link to a site that has coupons and discounts for over the counter and prescription meds. We have saved a ton of money using this site.
http://www.needymeds.org/coupons.taf?_function=list&letter=A
Thanks for the link! I found a great coupon to help defray the co-pay on my migraine meds.
I haven’t done it yet but someone told me they contacted epi pen because they didn’t have presecription insurance and they sent them a coupon.
Some places also offer certain antibiotics free of charge. I know Publix does!
Similar to that, some companies actually subsidize the cost of the drug completely! I have a prescription for which the company that produces the drug gave me a card….a card that allows me to pay only $25 to refill! Since the prescription isn’t covered under our insurance plan, that saves me almost $100 each month!
This is awesome! How did I not know this?! I just found a 50% off coupon for one of my prescriptions. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Crystal,
I saw Haystacks on your menu. We have the same thing except we add rice and broken crackers! (Just thought you might want to try it :)) We don’t put beans in our meat though. I will have to try that :).
Thanks for the suggestion! We’ll have to try that!
We do the same – adding rice helps to stretch the meat. I use black beans instead of pinto, nacho chips instead of corn chips, and add French dressing. So it is a very flexible dish and my family loves it!
OMG! I never thought of this. I just found coupons for my most expensive medications. This helps me so much as I’m on disability and can’t always afford all of my medications each month.
I can’t thank you enough, Crystal, for your website! It is a true gift from God and I feel so blessed that I found it!
You are so welcome!
Question: Do the coupons work in combination with insurance?
For me they do. I get my prescriptions filled at walgreens and they use the insurance first and then apply the coupon.