Healthcare Archive

Prescription drug prices are rising. Three strategies may help lower your pharmacy bill.

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If you're trying to avoid (or already have) heart disease, chances are you're taking several prescription medications. In fact, about a third of adults over age 62 take at least five prescription drugs, which can be a real budget buster for some people. And recent rises in drug prices, especially for new, brand-name medications, are enough to make anyone gulp.

"By working with your doctor and your pharmacist and spending some time shopping around, you may be able to lower your pharmacy bill," says John Fanikos, director of pharmacy at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. He suggests three main strategies:

Talking with loved ones about your values and wishes can help ensure you'll receive the type of treatment you want.

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If you're like most people, you've avoided talking about what would happen in the event that you become unable to make your own health care decisions. But as your family and friends gather together during the upcoming holidays, consider carving out some time for an important conversation with a person you trust.

Everyone should have a health care proxy—a person who can speak on your behalf if you lack the capacity to do so. "You don't want to burden your health care proxy with difficult decisions. That's why you need to discuss the choices that you'd make for yourself," says Dr. Lynne W. Stevenson, professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the cardiomyopathy and heart failure program at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

A doctor shows up on your computer or smartphone, not your doorstep. Should you try it?

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Getting a doctor's advice no longer requires a visit to the exam room. Thanks to videoconferencing applications (apps) for smartphones, tablets, and home computers, you can experience a virtual visit with a physician at any time, day or night. "The convenience factor is striking. You're home sick, and 24/7 you can see a doctor on your electronics," explains Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, an internist and a Harvard Medical School researcher who studies new ways of delivering health care.

Not just a fad

When to try a visit

Men should always seek out a second medical opinion anytime they are given a diagnosis of serious illness or a recommendation for surgery. Also, when seeking a second opinion, it is best to visit a different medical center to get a truly independent diagnosis, and to bring along a family member or friend to accurately record the new information.

More prescription medications now come in generic versions. But do you ever choose savings over quality?

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Medication can be an unpredictable and costly expense. Whether it is short-term treatment or multiple drugs you take indefinitely, prescriptions can have a serious impact on your wallet.

Nowadays there are many generic versions of brand-name drugs that are often significantly less expensive. There are generic drugs to treat most common ailments, such as pain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and depression.

Do you know where to go when you get sick? If you can't see your own doctor, you might go to a retail clinic, urgent care, or the ER, depending on the situation. Dr. Terry Schraeder explains the difference and where to best seek the help you need.