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Ways to cut prescription medication costs
Eighty percent of adults think the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable, according to a KFF poll. It’s the reason people aren’t taking their medications as prescribed.
MILWAUKEE - Life with rheumatoid arthritis can be debilitating. Nancy Koch in Wauwatosa lives with the disease every day.
"It affects the joints in your body and that causes a lot of inflammation," said Koch. "I’m always in pain."
To treat her disease, Koch is prescribed a daily tablet called Leflunomide. It’s a generic version of the drug Arava. She struggles to afford it.
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"Often, I have to go several weeks without," said Koch.
Eighty percent of adults think the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable, according to a KFF poll.
Nancy Koch
It’s the reason people like Koch aren’t taking their medications as prescribed.
"What I’m doing right now because I know I’m going to run out, is I’m taking it every other day," said Koch.
The same KFF poll found three in ten adults haven’t taken their medications as prescribed over the last year due to costs.
Koch says she cut her rates by using the website GoodRx to shop around for the lowest prescription prices. The website shows local pharmacies selling Leflunomide for anywhere between $25 and $125 for 30 tablets. It shows one-time offers as low as $2.50.
Koch says even $30 a month is a hardship. She and her husband live strictly on Social Security.
Koch says her prescription used to be covered in full by Medicare Part D. Now, she has a co-pay.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says Leflunomide is on the list of drugs it covers. Medicare’s website says it often places drugs into different tiers of coverage, and drugs in each tier have different costs.
Nina Yang, a Milwaukee County elder benefits specialist, says there are programs that can help with prescription drug costs. One is SeniorCare for Wisconsinites over age 65. Another is Medicare Part D Extra Help, which helps people with limited resources and income.
Yang says more people will qualify for Extra Help next year because of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Nina Yang
"That income level is going to go up to 150% federal poverty level," Yang told Contact 6.
The new law will also cap out-of-pocket Medicare costs at $2,000 a year.
Some pharmacies also offer clubs with membership dues that can also cut costs. At Metro Market and Pick n’ Save, that’s the Kroger Savings Club.
Kayla Hensley, Division Health Leader for Metro Market and Pick n’ Save says the club gives customers discounts on medications and can make several medications free.
Kayla Hensley
"If somebody’s current solution is to not take a prescription as prescribed, we’re going to work to find a different solution for them," said Hensley.
Pharmaceutical companies may also offer patient assistance programs. Koch says the Bristol Myers Squib Foundation covers the weekly injections she gets for her rheumatoid arthritis.
Koch says when she is able to take her medications as prescribed, she feels better.
"I don’t feel great, but I feel better than without," said Koch.
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Help for you
Seniors can call a variety of different helplines for advice on their benefits and how to cut prescription drug costs.
- Aging Disability and Resource Center of Milwaukee County: 414-289-6874
- Ask for an elder benefits specialist Medicare counselor
- Board on Aging and Long-Term Care: 1-800-242-1060
- Disability Rights Wisconsin: 1-800-926-4862