Strip Your Scripts!

If you made over $12,569 (single) or $16,862 (married) in 2003, you will not receive a $600.00 credit toward your prescription drugs, however, according to Medicare, you may be able to save on your prescription drugs by enrolling in a Medicare-approved drug discount card program.

You can join one of these discount card programs for nothing by applying to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., Well Point Pharmacy Management or Script Solutions. However, you can also elect to enroll into one of these programs for as much as $30.00 per year. We’re not too clear as to why anyone would pay to enroll into one of these plans. Maybe you get better service at the checkout counter or perhaps you receive free shipping (who knows!). If you’re going to enroll into one of these plans, Well Point may be the best choice, as they offer additional assistance after you’ve exhausted your initial $600.00 credit. If did not qualify (due to high income levels) for the $600.00 credit, you may as well try Well Point for free (if you’re curious to see what you may save on your prescription drugs).

One way to use this card (if you qualified for the $600.00 credit) is to use it to buy your brands (when a generic is not available) and then purchase generic drugs, which have a history of demonstrating a cost savings benefit. In other words, strip your scripts! Use your $600.00 to buy brand name drugs such as Celebrex; Zocor and Fosamax however, if you take Prozac, opt to purchase the generic equivalent of Prozac (Fluoxetine) through mail order. Your overall savings may be substantial!

If you don’t qualify to receive the $600.00 credit, contact each discount card provider and find out what you get (if anything) for paying an enrollment fee. If you’re on a limited income and pay $30.00 to enroll into one these programs (without even knowing if a cost savings benefit exists), you may have just wasted your money. No doubt, $30.00 could go a long way in purchasing a six-month supply of a generic drug such as Enalapril (the generic equivalent of Vasotec).

Now, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could opt to review and even consider the Medicare Managed Care Plans located at:

Medicare Managed Care Plans

If you’re interested in such a plan (in the hope of saving money on your prescription drugs), scroll down and review the Outpatient Prescription Drug section of each plan. No doubt, you’ll more than likely become a little more than disenchanted with the conditions of such a plan. In some cases, you pay $5.00 for refills and what you pay for your prescription depends on which tier your prescription drug falls under. Drugs available under Tier One may be the least expensive. What you pay out of your pocket may increase if your drug of choice falls under a higher tier.

Remember, before you consider such a plan, contact the provider of the plan and find out which tier your drug(s) fall under.