BE WARY OF DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARDS

BE WARY OF DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARDS
BY: STEPHEN DAYTON
the newest thing in the american medical savings game is prescription
cards, where users pay a monthly fee (anywhere from $10-100, approxim
THAT NETS THEM DISCOUNTS AT THEIR LOCAL MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT. DOCTOR
pharmacists, dentists and even hospitals are all jumping on the disco
prescription drug card bandwagon.

and although they sound like an excellent idea to most consumers, the
discount prescription drug cards do carry some risks. this article wi
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR SO THAT YOU REMAIN AN INFORMED MEDICAL CONSUMER.

how does it all work?
USUALLY, DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD PROGRAMS WORK IN THE SAME WA
card company works on the clients' behalf, getting discounts at a var
medical establishments. however, the discounts that are `purchased' a
DONE WITH THE PROVIDER DIRECTLY, BUT RATHER WITH A `PREFERRED PROVIDE
organization' (ppo). at times, this system works so poorly that cardh
have walked into their medical establishment with their discount pres
DRUG CARD, JUST TO BE TOLD THAT THE INSTITUTION HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF T
discount program.

SINCE THERE IS NO REGULATORY BODY FOR DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD
people who sell these cards need not be licensed or even knowledgeabl
the health care field. and when you do walk into the pharmacy with on
THESE CARDS, IT'S HARD TO EVEN TELL IF YOU ARE GETTING ANY SORT OF DI
all; many health care providers do not offer any sort of price list f
services in the first place.

is there a problem here?
well, some legislators in georgia and kansas think so. they've passed
STATING THAT DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD PROVIDERS STATE IN `PROM
type' that they are not insurance programs, since more than a few con
were making this mistake.

other states have taken legal action against these discount prescript
card companies. in one instance, argus health plans was sued because
THEY SIGNED CUSTOMERS UP FOR A FREE TRIAL PERIOD, AND THEN CHARGED TH
customers' credit cards with no prior authorization for a discount ca
membership. more than a dozen other suits are still pending investiga
TRIAL WITH OTHER DISCOUNT CARD PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE US AS WELL.

so how do i save money on my prescription drugs?
OF COURSE, NOT ALL DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARDS ARE POOR CONSUMER
however, without more legislation in place, consumers are at risk to
scammed while trying to save money. of course, there are still other
SAVE ON YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS, SUCH AS:

- keep dibs on the fluctuating prices of your prescription drugs, as
DIFFER

quite dramatically between pharmacies;
- ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE THE GENERIC VERSION INSTEAD OF THE BRA
version; and
- try and get health insurance coverage if you don't have it already.

with a bit of know-how and investigative work, you'll be able to save
medications without having to resort to discount prescription drug ca
ANYTIME SOON.

copyright © stephen c. dayton 2009

about the author:
stephen c. dayton is the staff writer for
HTTP://WWW.RXMEXONLINE.COM/A-MEXICAN-PHARMACY/DISCOUNT-PRESCRIPTION-D
[2]and author of many articles relating to health issues helping the
be better informed of the options available to them in today's online

circulated by article emporium [3]
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