How I Saved $165

Life is expensive. In case you somehow forget this someday, the gas pump, the grocery bill and medical expenses will surely remind you. We live in a society that seems to operate under the thought, “How much can I charge for as little as I can offer?” Oh, and there is always something else that we must have to survive. New and improved versions of things seem to pop up every day! I won’t even get started on baby products. (That is a market driven by fear, targeting new parents…different rant for a different day.)

I just feel like everywhere I go I have to pay someone something, and a lot of that time I feel like I am getting nothing in return. But that is just the way it is and I have to do it. Take health care for example. You go to your primary doctor; pay $20. She refers you to a specialist; pay $35. They do lab work and send it to a non-covered lab; pay $35-$250. The specialist writes you a prescription, and hopefully, doesn’t require you to take brand name; pay $10-$65. But wait, what if you require a medication that your insurance will not pay for?

Non-covered prescriptions can cost any amount of money. Recently, I had a doctor prescribe a medication for me that my insurance would not cover. The cost was over $200 per fill. I was more than a little surprised! Well, I needed the medication, so I said okay, and I paid the bill.

I just happened to have picked up two different “prescription discount cards” at my doctor’s office a few months ago. I had seen these types of cards displayed at various medical locations and always ignored them. I’m not really sure what made me grab them this time. However, when I ordered my costly medications I forgot about the discount cards. When I remembered them, I called the pharmacy and asked if they could re-process my order using these discount cards. No one there knew what I was talking about and said they would have someone return my call.

Weeks went by and I heard nothing. So I called back. This time someone took the information off of the cards and said she would try to take care of it and call me if she had any questions. More time went by and still nothing. I called a third time; the lady who answered couldn’t find any record of these calls or anyone trying to run the discount cards. However, I persisted, and she finally offered to “run the cards” for me. After being on hold for a while, she got back on the line and informed me that those discount cards saved me $165 and that they would credit it to my account. Oh, and that I could use them each time I refilled the medication. Now, my $200+ medication would only cost me $40 some dollars!

It just irritates me that this pharmacy didn’t ask me if I had any discount cards or offer me any other sort of “self-pay” discount when they realized my situation. No one was concerned that I would have to pay so much money (and I guess they shouldn’t have to be). But I am thankful that they were willing to process those cards for me on a previously submitted order. So next time you see those prescription discount cards grab some, they may just save you some money, or a lot of money!

 **I did speak to another pharmacy and they told me that many pharmacies do not like to accept those discount cards because the companies that offer them charge the pharmacies a hefty fee. This may be a reason your pharmacy isn’t suggesting you use them**

Remember to slow down and enjoy the fruits of your labor and love on a daily basis and you will start to see life as a Mama on the Bright Side