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Minimizing Your Prescription Drug Costs with a Health Savings Account

Starting in 2006, no plans that are qualifiedsupply plus three refills. This will get you
to work with a health savings account maya year's worth of drugs, with only one
cover prescription drugs as an insuredshipping fee.One company that has good prices
benefit until after the deductible is met. Sois Save Now Discount Pharmacy. They have a
for HSA owners, one of your biggest health'no insurance' business model, and have been
expenses could be for prescription drugs.able to reduce their prices by eliminating
Here are some ways to reduce thosethe cost of dealing with insurance companies.
costs.GenericsA report was published thisThey also post prices online, so it's easy to
week by Express Scripts Inc., a pharmacycompare. Unfortunately, they are only
benefit manager, indicating that increasedlicensed in 13 states at present, but they
use of generic drugs would save consumers $24will apparently be expanding soon. You can
billion in 2005. Generic drugs cost ancheck them out at Prescription DrugsThe city
average of $60 less per month, than brandof Boston, the city of San Francisco, the
name drugs.A report was published this weekstate of Wisconsin, and the State of
by Express Scripts Inc., a pharmacy benefitMinnesota all use a company called Total
manager, indicating that increased use ofPharmacy Care to give their citizens access
generic drugs would save consumers $24to international mail-order
billion in 2005. Generic drugs cost anpharmaceuticals.Officially, re-importation of
average of $60 less per month, than brandprescription drugs by anyone other than the
name drugs.It is important to understand thatdrug's manufacturer is a violation of federal
brand name drugs often have little or nolaw. But FDA enforcement guidelines allow
benefit over older generic versions. A primeagents to exercise discretion for drugs
example is Prilosec, a heartburn medicationimported for personal use. According to the
whose patent was scheduled to expire in Aprilguidelines, "FDA personnel may consider a
of 2001. Prilosec consists of two "isomers",more permissive policy" in cases where an
a right-hand version and a left hand version.individual seeks to import no more than a
Studies showed an 87% success rate for thisthree month supply of a product that does not
drug. AstraZeneca, the manufacturer, decidedappear to pose an unreasonable risk, if the
to offer a newly patented single isomerindividual affirms in writing that it is for
version called Nexium, which showed onlypersonal use and provides the name and
fractionally better results with a 90%address of the U.S. doctor supervising their
success rate.A $500 million marketingtreatment.Advocacy groups cite these
campaign ensued, aimed at both physicians andguidelines as proof that re-importation is
consumers, to convince them that Nexium islegal. But in a February 2003 letter, the
"state-of-the-art". AstraZeneca now sellsFDA's Associate Commissioner, Thomas Hubbard,
over $3 billion worth of pills annually, atsaid the guidelines have been misinterpreted.
$120 per box. This is a drug that isThey were meant to allow FDA agents
essentially only a repackaged versiondiscretion in allowing U.S. citizens access
Prilosec, which sells for about $20 perto medicines for serious conditions that were
box.When your doctor is prescribing a drug,unavailable or hard to find in the states,
make sure to ask him if there is any benefitnot to allow international comparison price
to taking a brand name over a generic, andshopping.Nevertheless, thousands of U.S.
let it be known that you'll be paying for thecitizens have found they can save money by
prescription out of your own pocket.Drugbuying their drugs from outside the country.
Discount ProgramsPharmaceutical prices are aDrug price comparisons from several countries
lot like hospital prices - very few people(Canada is not always the cheapest!) can be
actually pay the listed retail price. Therefound at Keep in mind that since this
are numerous drug discount cards available onimportation is technically illegal (though
the market, which provide savings thatrarely enforced), it may not be proper to use
average 15% to 40% below retail atyour HSA to pay for prescriptions purchased
participating pharmacies. Typically, most ofthis way. Talk to your accountant if you
the chain pharmacies (CVS, Eckerd, Walmart,decide to go this route.Avoiding Prescription
Kroger, Costco, etc.) participate in theseDrugsThe people who spend the least on
plans.Many insurance companies includeprescription drugs are those who rarely take
discount cards as an additional benefit thatthem. The need to take an antibiotic for an
comes with their coverage. Because theseacute infection may seem fairly expensive,
cards are not considered to be insurance,but it is nothing compared to the cost of
they can be offered with an HSA-qualifiedtaking a medication for the rest of your
plan. Insurance companies that provide Rxlife. Unfortunately, by age 45 over half of
discount cards with their HSA plans includeall Americans are on a regular prescription
American Medical Security, Anthem Blue Crossmedication, and by age 65 nearly half are on
Blue Shield, Assurant, Golden Rule, Imerica,three or more prescriptions during any given
Unicare, and World. We also know of one HSAmonth. Most of this is entirely
administrator - - that provides a drugpreventable.Some of the biggest selling drugs
discount program to people who useare to treat elevated cholesterol,
them.Stand-alone drug discount plans are alsohypertension, and acid reflux. A paper
available to anyone with access to thepublished this year in the American Journal
internet. We've found the average cost ofof Clinical Nutrition entitled Origins and
these discount plans to be around $7 or $8 aevolution of the western diet: Health
month. HSA for America has secured for itsimplications for the 21st century, explains
members (and readers of this newsletter) ahow these and other common health issues did
free discount Rx card through a companynot exist for our hunter-gatherer ancestors,
called Drug Card America. To enroll online,and how diet is the root cause of so many of
simply visit: 9c22-d335be23527c}. You maythe health problems people in our culture
want this card in addition to any otherexperience.The author is Dr. Loren Cordain,
cards, since the card that offers the bestone of my professors at Colorado State
deal usually varies, depending on the drug.IfUniversity. In a nutshell, he shows why the
you're looking for a plan that has co-payshealthiest diet is one based on fruits,
for prescription drugs rather than onlyvegetables, fish, and lean meat. Foods to be
discounts, American Health Care Optionsavoided or limited include added sugars,
offers a four-tiered prescription cardshortening and other processed vegetable
program where you pay $10, $20, $50, or aoils, grains, and legumes. These are all
special discount price for generic and brandfoods that did not exist in our diet prior to
name drugs. You can check the tier of anyabout 10,000 years ago, and are thus foods
drug you're interested in, and apply onlinethat we are not genetically adapted to
at The cost of this plan is $19.95 per montheat.Remember that all qualified expenses,
for an individual, or $29.95 for aincluding prescription drugs, can be paid for
family.Mail OrderIf the need for atax-free, from your HSA. If you've still got
prescription is not urgent, or if you are ona traditional health insurance policy and
long-term medication, mail order is almostwould like to investigate a health savings
always a less expensive way to buyaccount, please visit us at HSA for America
prescription drugs. It is generally cheaperand we'll be happy to help you.By Wiley P
to get a 90-day supply because of a volumeLong - President, HSA for America. At HSA for
discount. I recommend asking your physicianAmerica, we makes it easy to learn about and
to write the prescription for a 3-monthlyset up health savings accounts.



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