It's not always easy being the sole person responsible for my family's finances. Just one slip up can cost us big time, so I have to stay on top of things at all times. When unexpected things happen that I couldn't have possibly planned for, it throws me for a loop. Illnesses are the one thing you can never be completely ready for. While I can't prepare for everything an unexpected illness can throw at me, I do have plans in place to help cover the cost of our prescriptions. Here are four ways I save when paying for our medication.
Insurance RX plan
As a freelance writer I work for myself, which means health insurance would be costly for me. Luckily, my husband's employer offers a decent health insurance plan. Using our RX plan we can get most prescriptions filled for $5. The potential savings on many prescriptions is huge. The latest one we had filled was for my husband, and without our insurance it would have cost us $24. Saving $19 on one medication helps keep our budget intact.
Local stores discounts
A few stores in my area offer some medications for one flat rate. Walmart , for example, offers many medications for just $4 each. This is where I turn first when I need to have a prescription filled. If the medication is available in a generic form I can save a dollar per fill, which can add up quickly. I don't know the exact amount I have saved over the years using these discounts, but I can safely say I've saved more than $10.
Free antibiotics
When I learned about this program I was shocked that a company would do such a great thing. After all, antibiotics are prescribed for a lot of things, so giving them away could be costly. The Meijer stores in my area fill antibiotic prescriptions for free. I have used this program a few times for both myself and my husband. In all, this has saved us at least $25 in insurance co-pays.
Kentucky RX card
This is a prescription assistance program offered for free to residents of Kentucky. After filling out a simple form online, and printing a small card, you can save as much as 75% off of prescriptions. I haven't used this program yet. My husband and I are fortunate enough to be able to afford the small co-pays and fees in the programs we use. However, I do have a Kentucky RX card in my wallet, and would not hesitate to use it if I needed to.
My family lives pretty comfortably on a middle class salary, but one bad illness could wipe out our savings in a heartbeat. Knowing how we can save on things like prescriptions makes me feel like I have some control on these uncontrollable situations.
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