In 2003, more than 29 million uninsured Americans had incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level—pushing needed prescription medications far out of their reach. Since then, drug costs have continued to escalate. Between July 2004 and June 2005, prices for nearly 200 of the most commonly used brand-name medications rose more than 6%, according to a drug price study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Fortunately, several online pharmacies and other companies are helping to offset today’s spiraling drug prices by offering more affordable prescriptions.
Medicare’s Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)
, introduced in January 2006, was specifically designed to cut drug costs for seniors and people with chronic disabilities. And while reports by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) show that Part D prescription plans are saving beneficiaries an average of 40-60% depending on the price of the plan (the higher the price, the higher the savings), other studies have found that many of the most popular drugs are actually no less expensive through Part D. So, given the dramatic rise in drug prices, is Medicare Part D really doing enough? And what about younger, low-income Americans who cannot take advantage of Medicare programs? Fortunately, several online pharmacies and other companies offer additional discounts beyond what the government can offer. See below for an outline of these alternatives.
Partnering with pharmaceutical companies, doctors, pharmacists, patient advocates, and community groups, the
Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA)
provides a single access point to more than 457 public and private programs designed to aid patients lacking prescription coverage. Along with information on government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, the site covers more than 250 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. Organizations collaborating with PPA include the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, the Lupus Foundation of American, the NAACP, and the National Medical Association. PPA’s toll-free number is 1-888-477-2669.
- DestinationRX
is a free-membership site that searches for the lowest online prices for specific medications. The company describes itself as “the leading online comparison shopping destination focused exclusively on prescription drugs, health, wellness, and beauty products.”
- NeedyMeds.com
collects information about patient assistance programs for people without health insurance or who can’t afford to buy their medications. The company claims that the free information contained on its website is reliable because they regularly contact drug companies to confirm the information’s accuracy.
- Volunteers in Health Care
has compiled a chart detailing a variety of drug discount cards, including information on the programs, criteria, drugs covered, and contact information. These discount cards have no enrollment or annual fees, according to the company’s website.
- BenefitsCheckUp
is an interactive site run by the National Council on Aging. The company helps people over 55 connect with private and government programs that may help them pay for prescription drugs. For example, the site offers a screening (and enrollment) tool to help potential beneficiaries with limited income and resources to quickly find out if they are eligible for the extra help through Medicare Part D.
According to a recently published study in the
Annals of Internal Medicine
, brand-name medications are often markedly less expensive when purchased from Canadian Internet pharmacies rather than major online drug chain pharmacies based in the US. Americans can save approximately 24% by using Canadian online pharmacies, researchers found when comparing charges for 44 common brand-name medications. Canadian pharmacies offered lower prices for all but three of the 44 drugs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has consistently opposed the importation of drugs from Canada (and other countries). In a 2005 letter to the Attorney General of the State of Texas, a ranking FDA official stressed the FDA’s concerns about safety of non-U.S. drugs. “We cannot provide adequate assurance to the American public that the drug products delivered to consumers in the United States from foreign countries are the same as products approved by FDA. These safety concerns are reflected in the import provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which strictly limit both the types of drugs that may be imported into the United States and who may import them. Congress enacted these provisions to create a relatively ‘closed’ drug distribution system, which helps ensure that the domestic drug supply is safe and effective.”
One Canadian online pharmacy offering discounted drugs is LePharmacy.com, with a wide range of both brand-name and generic prescription and over-the-counter medications. One reason such substantial savings are possible is because the Canadian government regulates the price of drugs (unlike in the U.S.), notes LePharmacy.
If one is to believe the LePharmacy website, their drug quality is not compromised by low costs. As the website notes, many of LePharmacy’s prescription drugs are manufactured in the United States, or produced by American drug companies in their Canadian facilities. Additionally, their prescription drugs are government-approved by Health Canada, the Canadian equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration.
