FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
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6 tips for reducing your out-of-pocket medication costs
When you’re sick, the last thing that
you want to worry about is how you’re
going to pay for your critical medical treatment.
Even if you have health insurance,
you may fi nd that the prescription drugs
you need the most are out of reach due
to high out-of-pocket costs - the deductibles,
copays or coinsurance that are not
reimbursed by insurance. Many people
fi nd themselves choosing between paying
bills and buying essential prescription
medications.
Nonprofi t organizations like the Patient
Access Network (PAN) Foundation, an
independent charitable organization dedicated
to helping people with the out-ofpocket
costs for their prescribed medications,
can help alleviate some of that pressure.
Dan Klein, president and CEO of the
PAN Foundation, off ers the following tips
for relieving some of the stress and fi nancial
burden for people struggling to aff ord
their prescription medications.
1. Talk to your doctor
or pharmacist
Your healthcare team can help you fi nd
ways to manage your out-of-pocket costs.
Skipping doses of medication or failing
to fi ll prescriptions because they’re too
expensive can make your treatment less
eff ective. Doctors, pharmacists and other
healthcare providers oft en have access to
drug samples, coupons and information
about organizations that can help you get
the medication that you need at a price
you can aff ord. While it can be hard to
discuss your fi nances with your healthcare
team, being clear about what you can
aff ord can help them tailor your treatment
plan eff ectively.
2. Ask your doctor to prescribe
generic drugs
Generic drugs can be a great way to
reduce your out-of-pocket prescription
costs. Many name-brand drugs that are
used to treat common conditions have
a generic equivalent that is signifi cantly
cheaper, especially if the name-brand
medication is an older drug. Generic drugs
are safe and eff ective and are rigorously
tested by the FDA to ensure that they are
just as good as the brand-name versions.
3. Start using FundFinder
Sign up for FundFinder. Th is free
web-based app developed by the PAN
Foundation connects you with a charitable
patient assistance foundation that can help
pay the out-of-pocket costs for your prescription
medications. Rather than having
to monitor multiple charitable patient
assistance foundations to see if they’re
off ering funding, the app checks for you
and alerts you through email or text when
the fi nancial help that you need is available
at PAN or another charitable foundation.
4. Shop around and use coupons
If your medication is more than you can
aff ord at your usual pharmacy, check with
other pharmacies in your area to compare
out-of-pocket costs. For those with commercial
insurance, don’t forget to ask your
doctor or pharmacist if there are any coupons
or money-saving off ers available for
your prescription.
5. Learn more about assistance
from your state
Many states off er pharmaceutical assistance
programs or other health programs
to help pay for the out-of-pocket costs of
prescription medications. Contact your
state’s department of health to fi nd out
about any assistance programs that are
available and if you qualify. Your state’s
health department can also guide you to
other state and charitable resources that
can help you access your medication.
6. Review your Medicare
coverage options
If you have health coverage through
Medicare, make sure that your plan meets
your health and fi nancial needs. Th ere may
be other options that will help you better
manage your out-of-pocket drug costs.
Find out from an expert if your current
plan includes the prescription drug coverage
that you need and how to search for a
new drug plan if it doesn’t. You may also
be eligible for other Medicare programs -
like a Low-Income Subsidy or Extra Help
- that can lower your out-of-pocket costs.
Living with an illness is stressful enough
without the added worries about how to
aff ord the out-of-pocket costs for your
medication. You can learn more about
patient assistance charities like PAN and
the ways you can get help paying for your
prescription medical treatments at panfoundation.
org.
Courtesy BPT
Multi Specialty Physical
Rehabilitation Center
95 East Merrick Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580
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