by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 27, 2012 | Drug Prices, Medication non-adherence
New data from Consumer Reports shows that 67% more adults without prescription benefits under the age of 65 skipped filling a prescription due to high drug prices this year compared to last year. In 2012, 45% of respondents reported they did not fill a prescription due to cost, up from 27% in 2011.
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs Tracking Poll, July 2012,
Consumer Reports National Research Center. Click to enlarge.
These results should not be surprising. Many Americans aged 50-65 who lost their jobs during the recession also lost their health insurance. This age group has also had the most difficulty finding work after losing their jobs during the recession. These Americans are not yet eligible for Medicare Part D, which helps reduce prescription drug costs.
Alarmingly, the majority of respondents (both insured and uninsured) to the Consumer Reports survey said that they reduced other household expenses in order to pay for medications. Eighty-four percent of uninsured Americans reported a change in behavior in order to pay for medication. The number of insured Americans reporting a change is also high, at 59%. Budgets for groceries decreased, payment of bills postponed, and credit card payments increased: all because of the high cost of medication.
If you are struggling to pay for medication, keep the following in mind when about to purchase medication. Look for generic alternatives to brand name medications in the United States. Look for drug discount cards or coupons if you are purchasing medicine at a local pharmacy. If there’s no generic alternative, you can look for international online pharmacies and often find savings of 90%. Just make sure they are verified and safe, such as those listed on PharmacyChecker.com.
Tagged with: Consumer Reports, Drug Prices, Medication Adherence, pharmacychecker.com
by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 20, 2012 | Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Drug Reports
Januvia is a top selling brand name medication used to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It should not be used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, or diabetic ketoacidosis, as Januvia would have no effect for these conditions.1
With over two billion dollars spent on Januvia last year and an estimated 20 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, Americans want and need lower prices. Annual cost for Januvia (50 mg) at my local pharmacy in New York City is $3,070.88. And that’s after asking the pharmacist for a discount coupon: without their discount it would cost $4,788! Seventeen-hundred dollars sure is a lot to save, but you can do better much better by shopping from a verified international online pharmacy. In fact, you can save $2,473 a year! Check out the price chart:
Annual Cost of Januvia 50 mg
|
Price Per Year |
Savings over B&M Pharmacy |
Percent Savings |
| Local Pharmacy: |
$3,070.88 |
– |
– |
| Discount Card Option: |
$3,040.45 |
$30.43 |
1% |
| Coupon Option |
$2,911.32 |
$159.56 |
5% |
| U.S. Online Pharmacy: |
$2,703.00 |
$367.88 |
12% |
| International Online Pharmacy |
$597.60 |
$2,473.28 |
81% |
Local pharmacy in New York City, International Online Pharmacy price as found on PharmacyChecker.com. Prices collected 9/12/2012
If you need Januvia immediately, the best savings are found by using a coupon at the pharmacy. Once you have your temporary supply, you can then use an international online pharmacy. If you do, make sure the online pharmacy is approved by PharmacyChecker.com.
Here are some useful pages that compare prices for various strengths. As always, happy savings!
Januvia 25 mg prices
Januvia 50 mg prices
Januvia 100 mg savings
1FDA Januvia Medication Guide, http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM204269.pdf Accessed 9/20/2012
Tagged with: diabetes, Discount Cards, Januvia, Online Pharmacy, Pharmacy Discounts
by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 12, 2012 | Drug Prices
Prescription drugs cost much more in the U.S. than any other country, whether paid for through insurance premiums, government assistance programs, or out of pocket costs. A new infographic goes a long way to highlight the alarming numbers when it comes to Americans paying more for prescription drugs. Amongst the findings are:
- Life-saving AIDS medications are sometimes over 90% less in Canada.
- Americans spend 97% more than what they spent ten years ago on prescription drugs.
- Drug prices in New Zealand are 66% lower than in the United States.
For more, click the infographic below!
Tagged with: Prescription Drug Prices, RxRights.org
by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 6, 2012 | Saving Money on Prescription Drugs
Why spend $194.00 for a three-month supply of generic Lipitor (20 mg), called atorvastatin, at a local pharmacy in Detroit when you can get it for free? We’ve been comparing prices on Lipitor for years, and we’ve finally found the lowest possible price for its generic alternative – ZERO!
That’s right – Meijer, a Michigan-based chain store with locations throughout the Midwest, is offering atorvastatin for free in all of its pharmacies. Considering over 40 million prescriptions were written for Lipitor last year, Meijer’s price is just what the doctor ordered.
So, if you live near a Meijer store and are in need of atorvastatin, then Meijer is the place to go. On the other hand, if you want to find the lowest price on brand name Lipitor, or other brand name drugs, then comparing prices on PharmacyChecker.com is your best bet. You can save 89% or about $2,400 per year just by ordering Lipitor online!
Check out these prices and happy savings!
Brand Name Lipitor Prices
For other medications
Tagged with: Atorvastatin, free, Lipitor
by PharmacyChecker.com | Aug 31, 2012 | Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Drug Reports
Celebrex (celocoxib) is a top-selling brand name drug used to treat pain, tenderness, and stiffness caused by rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis affecting the spine). It may also be used for primary dysmenorrhea, acute pain, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
For Americans paying for Celebrex out-of-pocket, the price is often out of reach. As shown below, at a local bricks and mortar pharmacy, the annual cost for Celebrex can be over $2,300. Fortunately, savvy consumers can save as much as 82% by shopping around.
Annual Cost of Celebrex 200 mg
|
Price Per Year |
Savings over B&M Pharmacy |
Percent Savings |
| Bricks and Mortar Pharmacy: |
$2,303.88 |
— |
— |
| Discount Card Option: |
$1,933.00 |
$370.88 |
16% |
| Coupon Option |
$1,935.00 |
$368.88 |
16% |
| U.S. Online Pharmacy: |
$1,750.32 |
$553.56 |
24% |
| International Online Pharmacy |
$421.78 |
$1,882.10 |
82% |
Prices collected 8/29/2012
If you are uninsured or have insurance with a pharmacy benefit plan that doesn’t cover Celebrex, your best savings option is to use a verified international online pharmacy. The cost for a full year supply of Celebrex – made by the same manufacturer that sells it in the U.S. – is only $421.78 from abroad. That’s an 82% discount over your local pharmacy – or $1,872 is annual savings! View Celebrex prices on PharmacyChecker.com. For some people, these savings mean the difference between taking and foregoing this important medicine.
If you need Celebrex immediately then you may want to look into drug discount cards or coupons, since shipping times from online pharmacies may be a few weeks. We’ve listed sample savings above, but be aware that not all drug discount cards or coupons offer the same savings. Your best bet is to look into a few different ones, and then compare their prices. And don’t be afraid to ask your local pharmacist about savings; he or she may have ideas to help you cut costs. When it comes time for refills, you can use an international online pharmacy to save the most.
Tagged with: Celebrex, Discount Cards, Drug Prices, Online Pharmacy
by PharmacyChecker.com | Aug 23, 2012 | Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, Saving Money on Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug costs in the U.S. remain high, and consumers are constantly looking for ways to save. We recommend verified online pharmacies, such as those listed on PharmacyChecker.com.
However, if you need your medication immediately, an online or mail order pharmacy won’t cut it. Luckily, there are many other options to save; for example, many chain drug stores offer low cost generics and manufacturers offer coupons for their products.
Discount drug cards also offer savings and can be used in pharmacies across the United States for a wide variety of brand name and generic drugs. They seem like the perfect solution if you need medicine right away – just print the drug card, bring it to your local pharmacy, and count the savings!
But just because they can be used quickly, doesn’t mean they offer the best price on your medicine. Different drug cards carry different discounts. While one offers 70% savings on a drug, say Lipitor, another card might not have any savings at all.
There is no way to easily find the best price among different drug cards, and for some you can’t even find out the price of your medicine until you have a prescription. We investigated the prices for three different drugs for three different cards and compared them to the cash price at a local pharmacy and prices from PharmacyChecker.com-approved international online pharmacies.
As shown below, we found the average savings using the lowest-cost online pharmacy was 82%, but savings averaged only 23% across the discount drug cards. We recommend using a PharmacyChecker.com-approved online international pharmacy for brand name medications and for many generics. If you need a medicine right away, though, it’s best to print out a few drug cards and head down to the local pharmacy.
Drug Prices Using Prescription Cards vs. Online Pharmacy
| Drug |
Bricks and Mortar Pharmacy* |
RxFreeCard.com |
EasyDrugCard.com |
RxSavingsPlus.com |
PharmacyChecker.com-approved Online Pharmacy** |
| Lipitor 40 mg (30) |
$225.99 |
$184.68 |
$178.09 |
$189.64 |
$35.00 |
| Plavix 75 mg (30) |
$257.99 |
$214.00 |
$203.85 |
$216.74 |
$49.20 |
| Simvastatin 40 mg (30) (Generic Zocor) |
$49.99 |
$4.00 |
$13.36 |
$33.30 |
$12.30 |
*Local Pharmacy in New York City, prices collected 8/20/2012
**Lowest price as listed on PharmacyChecker.com on 8/23/2012
Tagged with: affordable prescriptions, Drug discount cards, Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, personal drug importation, prescription savings
