If You Don't Take Your Medicine, You Won't Get Well
By Betty Gibb
Kansas Senior Press Service
Q. I am supposed to take a high blood pressure medicine as well as a prescription that’s supposed to keep me from being diabetic and needing insulin. Unfortunately, the cost of both has gone up the last couple of years, so I stopped. So far, I don’t feel bad, but it worries me. I just can’t afford the medicine on top of my other expenses. Do you have some suggestions?
A. There are several new studies out that confirm what common sense would tell you. Senior citizens who are skipping prescribed medicine because they cannot afford it are suffering major health declines.
You are certainly not alone in facing the problem. A study by Families USA found that prices of the top 30 medicines used by seniors grew by more than four times the rate of inflation in the past year alone.
So what’s a person to do? Fortunately there are some solutions other than quitting or skipping your pills. Here are some suggestions that may help:
- Talk to your doctor. That’s the first line of defense. If your doctor knows that you cannot afford the price of the prescription, he or she may be able to help you find solutions. Often physicians are able to obtain samples, switch to a cheaper generic medicine or help you participate in one of the pharmaceutical companies’ programs for low-income individuals. At least, your physician will be able to explain to you the benefits of the medicine and the risks if you do not take it as prescribed.
- Shop around for the best price. It is amazing the difference in price between various local pharmacies.
- Apply for the new Medicare Prescription Drug Card. Although the process can be confusing and does require some research, there is the potential to save money on your prescriptions. Plus, if your income qualifies, you might be eligible for an initial $600 to help pay for your prescriptions. To learn more, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). For a helpful online site, go to www.medicare.gov.
- Contact PHRMA. (This is an organization of 48 member pharmaceutical companies that are working together to help low-income individuals secure the medication they need. The telephone number is 202-835-3400. The web site is www.helpingpatients.org.
- Contact a SHICK counselor. In Kansas there is a program called Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK). Trained volunteer counselors can help you with Medicare issues. They also are trained to help with the Prescription Drug Program, a privately funded program that enables all Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes to receive needed medications at little or no cost. You can contact SHICK at 1-800-860-5260 to find a counselor in your area. That web site is www.agingkansas.org/shick/.
I hope this will give you a starting place to find a way to pay for the medicine your doctor has prescribed. The studies prove that patients who cut back on their medicines due to cost were more likely to suffer a health decline or a heart event than those who continued long-term with the prescription regime.
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