by PharmacyChecker.com | Oct 11, 2010 | Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Medicare Drug Plans
With open enrollment for Medicare Part D just around the corner, 50% discounts on brand name prescriptions while in the coverage gap seems to be a great new benefit this coming year… or is it? Some patient advocate groups, and we at PharmacyChecker.com, are asking, 50% off what price? Will PhRMA offer the discount on a higher-than-normal base price to cover their losses?
As the market, not the government, controls drug prices, it is a possibility that manufacturers will up the prices on drugs, especially specialty medications that lack brand-name alternative or generic competition, in order to make up for the lost profit. A brand name drug that costs $100 per month now – $50 in 2011 for Medicare Part D enrollees – may likely cost $120 next year – or $60 for Medicare enrollees – so that the manufacturers are able to spare revenue loss little by little. (more…)
Tagged with: affordable prescriptions, Drug Prices, health, Healthcare Reform, Medicare, Medicare Drug Plans, Part D, phrma, save money, seniors, United States
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Margaret Rode, PharmacyChecker.com | Jun 24, 2010 | Drug Importation
At the beginning of the 21st century, what started out as a trickle of American seniors buying drugs in Canada in order to save money, turned into millions of Americans over the past decade buying their drugs from Canadian and other international pharmacies. At that time, the demand was largely due to the fact that Medicare did not include a drug benefit, and tens of millions of seniors had to pay entirely out-of-pocket for their prescriptions drugs. Not only has this industry helped millions of Americans afford prescription drugs and created public awareness about international drug price disparities, but it has affected U.S. healthcare policy, leading to greater health coverage. (more…)
Tagged with: Canadian pharmacies, Dorgan, Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, international pharmacies, Medicare, Medicare Drug Plans, Online Pharmacies, policy, seniors, Snowe
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Margaret Rode, PharmacyChecker.com | Jun 10, 2010 | Drug Prices
“Free drug program” is the phrase often used to describe Prescription Assistance Programs, or PAPs—programs run by pharmaceutical companies that help qualifying American consumers acquire prescription medication. Sometimes PAPs cover a patient’s full drug costs, but in many cases they only provide a discount. Qualifying is not easy and there’s a lot of paperwork, but we’re supportive in exploring all useful options when it comes to affording medication.
Access
Consumers can find these programs through their doctors, pharmacists, community clinics, directly from the drug companies or on the Internet. There are three major sites which provide information on who can apply and how to take advantage of the benefits: www.rxassist.org (created by Volunteers in Health Care, a Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention resource), www.pparx.org (led, in part, by the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America) which offers a useful eligibility screening questionnaire), and www.needymeds.org (which earns revenue though advertising and has a clickable map for national and local programs). (more…)
Tagged with: affordable prescriptions, Drug Prices, Medicare, pharmaceutical companies, save money
