No matter what lawmakers promise – prescription drug costs keep rising. Do you want to pay less for your medication? You could be overpaying for prescription drugs — and not even know it. Let me explain.

Prescription Drugs

Over a decade ago, I learned how to save more money on prescriptions when I was pregnant with my first child. My doctor gave me a new prescription. It was a one and done kind. Before I had the pharmacy fill it, I asked how much it would cost. I can’t recall the exact figure, but it was over $200. I couldn’t believe it!

Needless to say I chose not to have them fill the prescription. I remember getting off the phone and grabbing my wallet to call the insurance company. I wanted to know why my prescription was so high.

How to Save More Money on Prescription Drugs

That’s when I discovered a new way to save more money on prescription drugs. This meant I could order the same exact prescription for only a fraction of the cost. Since it wasn’t urgent and the savings were undeniable, I gave it a try.

I ended up using my insurance company’s mail order pharmacy instead and it only cost me $50. However, choosing the option meant I had to wait one to two days for delivery. So I no longer had the convenience of picking it up the same day at my local pharmacy.

That was the first time I used a mail order pharmacy to fill my prescription for less money. But it definitely wasn’t the last.

Fast forward to more recently when I found out that a little bottle of eye drops was going to cost me $50. I immediately gave my insurer a call and learned once again that I could order it through the mail for at a much lower price. There was just one catch, I had to have the doctor write a new prescription for a 90-day supply. I ended up getting four of those little bottles of eye drops for $100. That’s a 50% cost savings.

So the next time you need to fill a prescription that’s giving you sticker shock, you may want to consider using your insurance company’s mail order pharmacy. You may discover it’s much cheaper to fill your prescription. And if you can wait, it may be well worth the time.

If you decide to use your insurer’s mail order pharmacy, be sure to allow enough time in between your refills because they could make a mistake. I’ve only had it happen once. But when mistakes happen, it takes you longer to receive your prescription given it comes through the mail. If you’re lucky, they’ll put a rush on it at no extra cost like they did for me.

Be sure to order any refills ahead of time, so you won’t miss out on your medication due to any shipping problems.

Also just because it comes through the mail doesn’t always mean it’s cheaper. You have to comparison shop to ensure you get the better price, so you’re not overpaying for prescription drugs.

Here are some helpful articles to learn more about the benefits and considerations for using a Mail Order Pharmacy:

Well wishes,

K

Photo: Christina Victoria Craft