Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition so the people who have it often need medication to manage it. These medications may be daily maintenance inhalers, emergency inhalers, or oral steroids. While these are necessary, it doesn’t mean that they’re always affordable. That’s why it’s good to know all the resources you can use to save on the cost of your asthma medications.
5 Affordable Ways To Get Asthma Medications
1. Ask For Generic Options
In most cases, generic alternatives to the brand of medications you’ve been prescribed can work just as well. To know if this will work for you, it’s best to talk to your doctor about how switching to a generic version of your medication may affect you.
It’s important to note that several long-acting medications may not be available in a generic form, though.
2. Ask For Discount Coupons
Sometimes, there are single-use coupons available for the medications you need. These coupons may be provided by a private entity or drug manufacturer and might not be available at all pharmacies.
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To get this benefit, you may need to check with multiple pharmacies before getting what you need. Additionally, you may qualify for a discount card, which will mean you don’t have to shop around as often.
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3. Look For Patient Assistance Programs
These may also be called drug assistance programs or prescription assistance programs. These programs are designed to help those who can’t afford their medications to get them at reduced prices. Sometimes, you may even get them for free.
To qualify for one of these programs, you usually need to provide information about your diagnosis, medication requirements, income, and insurance coverage. Since the assistance can be organized by drug companies, pharmacies, or non-profit organizations, the requirements can vary.
4. Discuss Options With Your Doctor
Most doctors don’t necessarily take cost into consideration when writing a prescription. It might help to ask them if there are cheaper alternatives to the medications you’ve been prescribed.
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Since you’re already discussing affordability, it opens the doors for them to recommend other options for getting cheaper medications.
5. Examine Your Insurance Policy
It’s possible that your current insurance policy no longer suits your health needs. Now that you need consistent medication, it might be a good time to look at policies that will cover the asthma drugs you have to buy.
On another note, it’s also good to find out what an appeal to your insurance company entails. If your insurance company refuses to pay for your medication, you’re well within your rights to appeal that denial.
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What Your Medications Can Cost
Medical studies show that different factors can influence the cost of your asthma medications. These factors can include your insurance coverage, the type of medication you need, and where you live.
For example, recent numbers showed that people who live in Texas may have 20 percent less insurance coverage for asthma medications than those who are in the District of Colombia. Certain brands also tend to cost less than others depending on your insurance company’s tier system.
Additionally, the cost of your medications can vary widely based on the brand as well as their purpose. Without insurance, short-acting beta2-agonists can cost between $83 and $97. The long-acting ones can go up to $520. The price range is even wider for long-acting corticosteroids as they can go from $37 to $361. If you’ve been prescribed long-acting corticosteroid and beta2-agonist combination inhalers, you can expect to pay anything from $178 to $545 without insurance coverage.
When you’re living with asthma, you need your medications to keep the symptoms under control. Not knowing how you’re going to afford them is an additional stress that you don’t need. The best thing you can do is to exhaust all your options for receiving your medications at an affordable rate.
