Pay Less for Prescriptions
Everyone complains about the cost of medicine. On a Consumer Alert, NBC10’s Tracy Davidson has found a way some people are saving money. One local woman says she saves about $2,000 a year on her prescription medicine and you could too. Here’s how.
WHITEMARSH TWP., Pa. - Like many of us, Emilie Higgins from Whitemarsh Township has medicines she must take, some for the rest of her life.
“I take the statin drugs,” Emilie said. “I take heart medicine, two forms of that. I take a very effective drug for women for the back.”
But unlike most people, Emilie doesn't get her prescriptions around the corner. She gets them halfway around the globe, over 1,600 miles away in Winnipeg, Canada. She says prescription drugs have become too expensive here in the U.S. But now, to get her cheaper prescriptions, Emilie doesn't even have to leave her home.
“The prices were up to half,” she said. “Most of them were half. Some of them were 35 percent off the price that I pay in the U.S.A.”
Emilie buys her medicine on the Internet from a company called Canadameds. Here’s how it works: you go online to Canadameds and fill out a medical history form to open your account. Then, when your doctor gives you a prescription, you fax it or mail it to Canadameds.
Canadameds then has a Canadian doctor review the prescription to see if it's medically necessary. It costs about $6 per prescription for this review. If everything checks out then they send you your medicine. Emilie says it's simple.
“I mail it to them, and then I get it right to my house,” she said. “That’s it. We’re done.”
Canadameds says it takes about two to four weeks for the drugs to be delivered. In Canada, the government has a cap on prescription prices. That’s why the very same drugs we buy here are so much cheaper across the border.
Prilosec is one of the most widely prescribed drugs for stomach ailments. At local pharmacies, it costs about $65 for a typical two week supply of 20 milligrams. At Canadameds it costs about $23.
Lipitor is one of the most popular drugs for high cholesterol. For a typical three month supply of 10 milligrams Lipitor, it costs about $188 here. At Canadameds, the cost is $112.
Dr. Dan Hussar is professor of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He worries there can be problems with buying prescriptions from an Internet pharmacy.
“If that pharmacy is not in a position to identify potential drug related problems, because of the remoteness of the patient from the pharmacy and from the services, that individual could actually be very poorly served if the medication provided, even if they couldn't afford it otherwise,” Dr. Hussar said.
But Canadameds says they look for drug interactions. On their questionnaire they ask about other prescriptions drugs or over the counter medications.
“We can only assure the negative interaction with the prescriptions that we are filling because we have a question that asks you which over the counter or prescription medications are you on,” said Daren Jorgenson, a pharmacist from Canadameds.
They admit that a face-to-face contact with the patient would be better but do everything they can to make sure their patients get quality service. For example, they'll answer questions on their toll free number at 1-877-542-3330.
“The bottom line is if a person isn't going to take the therapy because they can't afford the drug versus getting a little less face to face conversation but actually getting the therapy, then I think the person's actually better off," Jorgenson said.
“If I wasn't getting it the way I’m getting it now, then I would have to borrow from my daughter,” Emilie said. “I would probably do without it or take half of it, I know some people who do that.”
To find out more about how to "Pay Less for Prescriptions" visit Canadameds or call Canadameds directly between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. at 1-877-542-3330. Once they prompt you dial zero.
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