What Are Drug Coupons & How Do They Work
Drug coupons are coupons that help the patients save money by providing them with a discount when buying a drug. Underinsured or uninsured, the price of pharmaceuticals is rapidly climbing. Insurance companies are actively asking people to pay more for coinsurance but the sum they cover is generally not favorable for the patient. Drug coupons, when used together with insurance dramatically lower the cost of a drug.
For many people, especially chronic disease sufferers, drug coupons mean that forking out large sums of cash or abandoning the pharmacy counter when they hear the price that they have to pay is becoming ancient history. Not being able to buy the needed medication can result in additional problems like worsening of one’s condition and sometimes it could even be fatal.
Drug coupons are a great asset to people that have to buy prescribed medications monthly like asthma controller inhalers without the heavy financial burden.
How to receive drug coupons
In the age where everything is going mobile, we have a lot of opportunities to make our lives easier in every field and drugs are no exception. There are a great number of applications online that offer drugs coupons that will reduce the price of your next pharmacy visit tremendously.
That being said, it’s important to always be on the lookout for the best deals and best value for the drugs in question. The best apps can provide a different discount for the same drug in differеnt pharmacies, so keep your eyes open for the best deal, tailored to your needs and funds.
How they work
Most of the time the insurance covers a large sum of the drug in question, but what happens when a drug is not being covered by the insurance, or if you simply don’t have one in the first place?
The main goal of the discount coupons is to make brand-name drugs affordable for patients that otherwise would’ve been able to purchase them.
To receive and redeem drug coupons, simply go to your mobile app and find the drug that you are looking for. For example, if you are looking for Albuterol, insert the micrograms as well and the app will display various pharmacies with different prices on that very drug. After selecting the pharmacy and the coupon simply write down the numbers that are displayed on your screen and take them to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy counter the discount will be applied, but be wary, sometimes the discounted pharmacy price won’t always match the one displayed on the app.
What do the coupons actually cover?
Drug coupons are funded by the manufacturer of the specific drug with an aim to cover the insurance copay which ultimately results in a cheaper drug. A switch to the generic brand of a certain drug helps your budget significantly; coupled with a coupon, you are looking at a fortune’s worth of savings on pharmaceuticals.
Who can use them
Anyone with commercial and private insurance coverage is eligible for drug discount coupons. Sadly, for the most part, people with government insurance like Medicare cannot use this type of coupon. There are of course some drug coupon programs that target uninsured patients.
In some states, a law prohibits the usage of certain coupons when a generic drug is available. Read the terms and conditions, check the state law and consult a professional if you are looking to start using drug coupons.
Saving money through generic medication
As mentioned above, some states don’t allow the usage of drug coupons if there’s a generic alternative to the brand-name drug. Generic drugs work in the same fashion as brand-name drugs and are also FDA approved. These drugs are significantly cheaper than their brand-name counterparts.
If a generic drug is available in your state and the law states that you can get a drug coupon for it, then this is the best financial option for you.
Conclusion
Drug coupons are a great way for patients to save money on medication and completely adhere to their prescribed therapy. Find the proper online application to source your coupons and enjoy your saving.
Check the laws on insurance and coupon policies and see what type of plan applies best to you. Whichever drugs you need to buy, the best course of action is to consult your doctor about your plans.
