Legend has it that the emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Today’s politicians are bickering while drug prices soar.
Despite years of promises about protecting senior citizens from having to choose between medicine and groceries, the politicians still have nothing to show for all their talk. With Congressional elections in the fall, expect more promises, but don’t hold your breath waiting for price relief.
What can you do to keep from suffering sticker shock at the pharmacy? First, hold the politicians accountable. If they don’t deliver on promises to hold drug prices down, don’t re-elect them.
Next, take matters into your own hands. If you and your physician can find effective non-drug strategies, you’ll save a ton of money and possibly even improve your health by avoiding side effects.
For example, one of the best ways to lower blood pressure is to lose weight. We know it’s not easy, but a supervised exercise program together with a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products can make a substantial difference in blood pressure control.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs are both popular and pricey. But with effort, cholesterol may come down with soluble fiber, a low-fat diet and niacin. The vitamin regimen requires medical supervision, but it’s a cost-effective option for many people.
Nonprescription medications are usually a lot cheaper than the prescription options. Before it went OTC, Zantac (ranitidine) was considered a powerful acid suppressor. Like other drugs in its class (Pepcid and Tagamet), it was prescribed to help heal ulcers and relieve symptoms of acid reflux.
Now doctors usually prescribe Prilosec, Prevacid or Nexium, which are expensive. Prilosec, for example, can cost up to $4 per pill. As it goes off patent and runs into generic competition, the manufacturer is pushing for patients to switch to Nexium, also priced at around $4 a pill.
Not everyone will be able to use nonprescription ranitidine instead of Nexium, but those who can will save a significant sum. Similar savings can be realized by those who are able to tolerate nonprescription pain relievers like ibuprofen. It costs about $8 for a month’s supply instead of over $70 for Vioxx or Celebrex.
Another way to beat the high cost of prescription drugs is to go generic. Prozac was the first of a new generation of antidepressants. It is now available as fluoxetine at about half the cost. Instead of $85 a month it costs about $45. A physician who understands a patient’s financial burdens might be willing to prescribe fluoxetine rather than Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft. And studies have shown that depression also responds well to exercise in many cases.
Comparison shopping on the Internet can be helpful, especially for those who look for Canadian pharmacy sites. Discount cards are another way people can save money on medicine. But ultimately, the U.S. needs to join the civilized world and offer senior citizens unified prescription drug coverage. Until that happens, many older people will have to choose between paying the rent and buying vital medicines.
