Mark Luigi Dacumos
Call Pharmaceutical Companies
It’s no secret that pharmaceutical sales drop off tons of freebies at doctors’ offices. Why? So they can hand them out to patients and expand their brands’ reach.
You could ask for free samples of contact lens solutions, prescriptions, and more from your doctor to cut your medical costs, or you could call up the pharma companies directly and ask for discounts.
Nowadays, drug manufacturers offer coupons and even copay assistance to make their medications more affordable. But unless you give them a call or at least visit their websites, you’ll never snag those savings.
Get Supplements, Supplies, and Meds on the Cheap
Taking supplements is a form of preventive care that can reduce your risk of needing pricy prescriptions down the line. They can be costly, though, unless you know where to look.
One of the best under-the-radar spots to get supplements on the cheap is at dollar stores. For example, Dollar General now has a DG Health line of supplements that’s quite cheaper than the competition. They partnered with Centrum to make multivitamins, which cost half of their competitors’ offerings. So, if you need several supplements, hitting dollar stores could yield significant savings.
Besides supplements, you can also save on pain relievers, canes, blood pressure monitors, and more by shopping at discount stores like Aldi. Like Dollar General, Aldi now has a wellness brand called Welby Lifestyle that’s as much as 30 percent cheaper than the competition stocked at pharmacies and big-box stores.
If you need proof before jumping in your car and heading to Aldi, let’s look at its pain reliever that costs $1.95 for 100 caplets. Head on over to a pharmacy chain, and you’ll pay five times as much for Tylenol to get the same effect.
One surprising source of supplement savings is your insurance company. Why would they offer savings on such products? Because they’re a form of preventive care that can make you, as a patient, cheaper to insure.
Give your insurance company a call and ask if they offer discounts on supplements or vitamins. Ask if they have any deals on visits to nutritionists or alternative care like acupuncture too. You’d be surprised at how much you can save with a quick call, and if you don’t feel like calling, look at your insurance provider’s handbook or visit their website. They could list potential savings there.
Get Prescriptions for Pennies on the Dollar Through Amazon
You may use Amazon to make regular purchases or even for grocery shopping, but did you know that they can now fill your prescription needs too? They sure can, and they can do it with deep discounts via their recently launched Pharmacy.Amazon.com.
If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can get free 2-day shipping. If you don’t, you can get free delivery in five days. As for the savings, Prime members can enjoy savings of up to 80 percent on generic meds and 40 percent on brand-name ones.
