Families (and individuals) can often live within their budget for necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Unfortunately, due to these strict budget constraints, most people are unable to budget for emergency high-cost prescription drugs. It is hard for them to cushion themselves against health problems that may be cost-intensive and often occur unexpectedly.

Catering for such emergencies usually kills the bank accounts of the affected people. Medicine is expensive.

Fortunately, there are several opportunities for free prescriptions, where one can easily get discounted medical assistance for both chronic and acute conditions. Some of the alternatives one may opt for include:

1. Making a request for low cost or generic drugs

Most physicians may not consider your financial situation while writing your prescription. However, it would be advisable to seek alternative prescription help from your physicians. You may need help to find other existing cheaper options that are more affordable.

For instance, according to Mayo Clinic generic alternatives are as effective as the other name-brand drugs but far cheaper.

2. Register with a Prescription Assistance Program

Several pharmaceutical companies provide prescription assistance programs to patients. The programs offered by the pharmaceutical companies are all inclusive in that they include both insured and non-insured patients.

Most of the drugs provided through these programs are usually high-cost drugs, and thus, the purpose of the programs is to ensure that such drugs are available to ALL the public at a discounted price.

Finding a good pharmaceutical that suits your medical needs may be a difficult task. Fortunately, through sites such as RX Solutions you can easily find out the best program for your medical needs. Through the site you will be able to find out your eligibility and the process for applying.

3. Medicare Extra Help

Medicare is an insurance medical program targeting the aged. Just like any other machine, our bodies and our immune systems wear out with age. To avoid the high cost of health-care in United States Medicare was created to ease the medical cost burden that was a threat to the country’s social and economic welfare.

At the moment, the Medicare program in United States is the most significant medical insurance program in the world. The Medicare extra help provided through this program has made a very substantial impact on the lives of ordinary Americans and to the economy in general.

Upon qualifying for the Medicare extra help, one pays no more than $2.65 for generic drugs and name-brand drugs; one usually pays not more than $6.60. An individual is deemed to have qualified for the Medicare Extra help upon attaining at least one of the following:

• A notification from Medicare stating that one has automatically qualified
• An automatic enrollment for Extra Help from Medicare
• A notice of award from Social Security
• Through Medicaid assistance or Supplementary Security Income

4. Acquire NACo Card

Through this card, you are able to access free or prescription discount. This service is available only for American citizens. The card can save an uninsured patient up to 24% prescription discount. To become a member of the NACo program, all you need is to visit their website and fill the application form. Upon successful application, the card will be sent to your home for free. Alternatively, there are a variety of other prescription discount cards from which you may choose from for assured prescription help in the event of a medical emergency.

5. Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs by the state

Despite the availability of discount prescription programs as well as Medicare programs there are still people who are uninsured, unable to access pharmaceutical programs. There are those whose incomes are too high for Medicaid and do not qualify for the insurance by Medicare Extra Help.

Pharmaceutical companies by the state offer assistance on chronic diseases such as renal diseases, diabetes, and HIV. To find out whether you are eligible for pharmaceutical assistance programs by the state, visit Medicare’s SPAP website.

RX Coupons

Each year, the United States spends an astonishing $3.5 - $4 Trillion on health-related expenditures. This is more than double the average spent by developed countries.

A good portion of these expenses come from prescription drugs and medicines. RX coupons and prescription coupons in general can help save you a considerable amount of money on drugs and medications, but how do these RX coupons work and are they worth using? All of that, and plenty more besides, will soon become clear as we look at several things to know about prescription RX coupons.

RX coupons are accepted by nearly all pharmacies – If you utilize RX coupons to obtain discounts on your prescriptions, the good news is that nearly all pharmacies accept RX coupons.

Virtually all major chains in the US including Walgreens, Costco, and Walmart, accept RX coupons.

Not all brand names are more expensive – Generally, when shopping for goods, you’ll find that brand names are always more expensive than generic products. This is not always the case with prescription drugs. It turns out that in some instances, brand name drugs are actually cheaper than nameless generic drugs. Say for example that a generic medication costs $8, yet a prescription coupon brings the price of a very similar brand name drug down to $5, you’ll actually pay $3 less for a brand name drug thanks to your RX coupons. Sometimes it is still cheaper to go generic, so do the math before you commit.

Not everybody is eligible for a discount prescription card – Before you rush out and start looking for your prescription coupons, it’s worth noting that not everybody is eligible for a coupon. You’ll find that there are certain discount prescription card out there that exclude people with no insurance, or who happen to be members of programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. Basically, like most things in life, you should always read the fine print.

RX coupons can save you a considerable amount of money – As awful as it is, the sad reality is that many US citizens cannot afford to be sick as they cannot afford to purchase the drugs and medications needed to literally keep them alive. The price of prescription drugs can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, and from drug to drug, but none are particularly cheap. This is where RX coupons prove to be so beneficial. RX coupons can save people around 80% on the cost of their prescription drugs. What’s more, you can even search for drugs which are available 100% free.

As you can see, when it comes to saving money on your prescriptions, RX coupons are extremely beneficial and can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Author's Bio: 

Author, Freelance writer