MEDICAL SELF-CARE

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HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

by Tom Ferguson, M.D. and Joe Graedon

The amount of money that people could -but don't-save on drugs boggles the mind! Many folks conscientiously comparison-shop for such items as cars, washing machines, and groceries . . . and, as a result, save maybe 10% or 20% at most on these goods. But it's not uncommon to find people paying 500% or even 1,000% more than necessary for prescription drugs! By applying just a little basic knowledge and consumer awareness, anyone can cut drug costs. In fact, individuals who take one or more medications every day-for such chronic conditions as high blood pressure or arthritis could conceivably save hundreds of dollars a year.

THE PRESCRIPTION PROCESS

The first step toward controlling pharmaceutical expenses is to realize that drug purchase decisions can and should be made with the bottom line in mind. The typical patient unquestioningly agrees to the first medication the doctor suggests, obediently gets the prescription filled at the nearest pharmacy, and then uncomplainingly swallows the prescribed drug . . . and the accompanying bill.

Seldom do clients ask their doctors in advance what the cost of their prescriptions will be. And-no matter how high the tab at the pharmacy-few people ever say, "Hold on! That's too much!" or ask for a less expensive substitute. Yet both measures are perfectly within your rights as a consumer.

DOCTORS AND DRUG COSTS

Many doctors have never once considered price when deciding on an appropriate drug to administer, since they've had little or no training in writing cost-effective prescriptions. If anything, they're biased toward the high-priced brand-name drugs . . . and no wonder: Pharmaceutical companies spend over a billion dollars each year advertising their expensive products to physicians!

From the moment they receive their first black bags (free gifts from drug companies), doctors are subject to unrelenting promotion. They get deluged with attractive full color advertisements for brand-name drugs every time they open a professional journal. At medical meetings-many of which are sponsored by drug companies-physicians are surrounded by displays and salespeople, and they're frequently visited in their offices by drug company representatives (called "detail men") whose job is to get the doctors to purchase their firms' products.

Of course, the expense of all this promotion inevitably finds its way to the consumer . . . in the price you pay for prescribed medications. And since little is being done within the medical profession to make physicians more cost conscious, it's largely up to you to remind your doctor of the importance of saving money. Let's examine exactly how you can take a more active role in determining the price of your health care.