What To Do When You Can't Afford Your Medication

Talk to Your Doctor About a Generic Alternative

It is likely that your doctor will prescribe you the generic to begin with. If not, your pharmacist may suggest it. If for some reason neither offer the generic version, don't be afraid to ask about it.

If a generic alternative is not available, you can contact the company that makes the drug directly. They generally don't broadly advertise them, but many companies have drug assistance programs available. You may have to investigate a little. You will need to locate the name of the company that manufacters the drug then locate their website or phone number. More often than not, you can find their prescription assistance program right on their website.

Ask For Help

Your health care team is there to help you get the care you need, and they would rather fill out some forms or do a little research than have you go without the drugs necessary to manage your condition. It is very important to let your doctor know your financial concerns if they are an issue.

Another option is to apply for Medicaid. Medicaid is described as "a jointly-funded, Federal-State health insurance program for certain low-income and needy people." Criteria for acceptance into the Medicaid program is not based on income alone, and varies by state. You will want to contact the agency in your state to help you determine if you qualify, and if your prescription medications will be covered.

Prescription Assistance Programs

Some states offer their own programs to help cover the cost of prescription drugs. A great program to reference is FreeDrugCard.us. This website will allow you to print a free prescription discount card right from their website. You can take this card into the pharmacy to receive discounts at point of sale.

Drug Samples

Back to talking to your doctor. Ask if he or she has any drug samples. Obviously this is not sustainable for a long period of time, but a few samples might be able to hold you over until a real solution is found. Many doctors' offices have a closet full of samples. Drug representatives like to drop a few off for this specific reason.

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