Having a health insurance plan has been a requirement every family worked blindly to meet to ensure a safe, secure life for themselves. A good number of families still sign up in case of health emergencies. However, not everyone can afford a health insurance plan, depending on their job or their level of exposure.
People without a health insurance plan have to pay for health services in cash, even in emergencies. This can be a serious drain on a bank account, especially if provisions for emergency funds haven’t been made. This is where prescription discount cards come in.
While a prescription discount card is not insurance, it is a savings option that reduces costs in the form of a discount to patients who are paying for their medications in cash. The members’ savings card doesn’t cost a thing and they are available to everyone, regardless of if you have a health insurance plan or not..
Important Things to Know About Prescription Discount Cards
Aside from the features mentioned above for prescription discount cards, here are other important things you need to know about them:
- They Save You Money
Prescription discount cards mainly serve the purpose of helping you reduce the cost of medications that your health insurance plan may not be able to cover. For instance, imagine having a household where the family members are on multiple medications. In most cases the family’s yearly deductible can’t meet these expenses. Such prescription medications would have to be paid for with money meant for other purposes.
With your member savings card, you can save up to 80% on the cash price when you need to get a non-covered drug. This way, money can be saved for more pressing needs.
- You Need To Compare Prices
Before deciding to get a particular prescription for a stipulated amount, it is very important to compare your insurance and discount card prices; if you do have an insurance plan.
The pharmacist can run your prescriptions with your discount card to know if the cost of drugs would be lower in comparison to paying with your insurance. If it is lower with your prescription discount, it only makes sense to pay that way. This helps to ensure you are not overcharged for your prescriptions.
Make sure to check multiple different pharmacies as prices can vary from location to location.
- There Is No Paper Work Necessary
With your prescription discount card, you won’t need to fill out any paperwork. On presenting your discount card at the pharmacy, you will be given the discounted prices of drugs at the counter, after which you then pay the balance. There are no papers to sign, and you have no obligation to keep your card. You can choose to use this card for transactions in the future or not; either way, it is not a requirement.
- You Cannot Use Them in Combination With Insurance
When you fill prescriptions with your discount card, you pay the difference from your pocket and it does not in any way contribute to your deductible. The transactions made with your card fall outside your health insurance program. You can only use your prescription discount card when you’re not insured, or the drug you need to get is not covered. However, you cannot combine your discount card and insurance to get prescriptions. It is either or.
- Your Pets Are Not Left Behind
Here is some amazing news for pet lovers. A good number of discount cards make provisions for pets to enjoy this service as well. Rather than filling your pet’s prescription at the vet’s office, where you may be overcharged, you could make sure of this pharmacy service. Although some prescriptions for your pet may only be able to be filled by your veterinarian, many of them can be filled by your neighborhood pharmacy, at a lower cost. Your veterinarian can write you a prescription that you can fill at your local pharmacy.
Most discount cards require the vet’s DEA number to process the prescription. Make sure this is already included to reduce your own stress.
Final Notes
Without a discount, the costs of prescription medicines can prevent many patients from seeking treatment. This is why some companies offer to help you save money on drugs by reducing the cost of your prescription. And with the prices of drugs increasing every year, prescription discount cards are a secure, convenient way to save on drugs. You get to save money while improving and maintaining your health.
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Want to learn more about prescription discount cards and how they can be helpful to you? This article has all the details you need.