The newest thing in the American medical
savings game is prescription drug cards, where users pay a monthly
fee (anywhere from $10-100, approximately) that nets them discounts
at their local medical establishment. Doctors, pharmacists, dentists
and even hospitals are all jumping on the discount prescription
drug card bandwagon.
And although they sound like an excellent idea to most consumers,
these discount prescription drug cards do carry some risks. This
article will detail what to look out for so that you remain an
informed medical consumer.
How Does it All Work?
Usually, discount prescription drug card programs work in the
same way. The card company works on the clients’ behalf, getting
discounts at a variety of medical establishments. However, the
discounts that are ‘purchased’ are not done with the provider
directly, but rather with a ‘preferred provider organization’
(PPO). At times, this system works so poorly that cardholders
have walked into their medical establishment with their discount
prescription drug card, just to be told that the institution has
no knowledge of the discount program.
Since there is no regulatory body for discount prescription drug
cards, the people who sell these cards need not be licensed or
even knowledgeable about the health care field. And when you do
walk into the pharmacy with one of these cards, it’s hard to even
tell if you are getting any sort of discount at all; many health
care providers do not offer any sort of price list for their services
in the first place.
Is There a Problem Here?
Well, some legislators in Georgia and Kansas think so. They’ve
passed laws stating that discount prescription drug card providers
state in ‘prominent type’ that they are not insurance programs,
since more than a few consumers were making this mistake.
Other states have taken legal action against these discount prescription
drug card companies. In one instance, Argus Health Plans was sued
because allegedly they signed customers up for a free trial period,
and then charged those same customers’ credit cards with no prior
authorization for a discount card membership. More than a dozen
other suits are still pending investigation or trial with other
discount card providers throughout the US as well.
So How Do I Save Money on My Prescription
Drugs?
OF course, not all discount prescription drug cards are poor consumer
choices. However, without more legislation in place, consumers
are at risk to be scammed while trying to save money. Of course,
there are still other ways to save on your prescription drug costs,
such as:
- Keep dibs on the fluctuating prices of your prescription drugs,
as costs can differ
quite dramatically between pharmacies;
- Ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version instead of
the brand name version; and
- Try and get health insurance coverage if you don’t have it already.
With a bit of know-how and investigative work, you’ll be able
to save on your medications without having to resort to discount
prescription drug cards anytime soon.
Copyright © Stephen C. Dayton 2005
About the author:
Stephen C. Dayton is the staff writer for http://www.rxmexonline.com/A-mexican-pharmacy/discount-prescription-drugs.htmland
author of many articles relating to health issues helping the
public to be better informed of the options available to them
in today's online world.
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