Save money on the costs of blood thinners! Too many people overpay for anticoagulants, which are often prescribed to prevent strokes, heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms and other serious conditions. Three of the newest blood thinners are Eliquis, Pradaxa and Xarelto, although the cheapest blood thinner is Coumadin, which is sold in generic form as warfarin. Seniors and adults can talk to their doctors about whether they might save money by switching to warfarin, and there are numerous other things people can do to reduce their blood thinner costs. If you are already using blood thinners, or if your doctor is urging that you start using anticoagulant medication, then read here to discover three easy ways to possibly save big.
It's common knowledge that shoppers save money when buying in bulk. Believe it or not, the same holds true with prescription drugs.
Blood thinners such as warfarin are often prescribed for lengthy periods of time, especially when prescribed for the treatment of atrial fibrilation or other chronic health issues. Rather than get small prescriptions that must be refilled often, it is in your best interests to get larger prescriptions that won't need to be refilled as quickly. For example, you're better off buying a 90-day supply of medication than a 30-day supply that would require two refills.
Do you already have a shorter-duration prescription? If so, then talk to your doctor before visiting the pharmacy for your next refill. Your prescription can always be revised, and then you can start saving more money on blood thinners and other drugs.
Blood thinners are not as expensive as some other drugs, but they are also not cheap. The brand-name blood thinners like Pradaxa and Xarelto -- although highly effective and with fewer occurrences of side effects -- are significantly more expensive than generic variants.
Anticoagulant medication is even more expensive for people who do not have health insurance. Pradaxo, Eliquis and Xarelto can climb to more than $400 for 60-day supplies without insurance benefits. This can make blood thinners cost-prohibitive for people who need them.
Don't overpay for a blood thinner you can barely afford. Talk to your doctor and ask about cheaper generic alternatives. You can also ask about warfarin, a more affordable anticoagulant that has been in use for decades. Not everyone can safely use all anticoagulants, so talk with your doctor to find a lower-cost blood thinner that fits your medical needs.
We already reviewed how you can save money on blood thinners by buying in bulk. A similar way to save money is to buy larger pills, then cut them in half to meet your dosage requirement. You will cut your costs by cutting your own pills!
You're probably thinking, "Don't pills that are twice as large cost twice as much?" Surprisingly, no! In fact, a 20mg warfarin pill costs almost as much as a 40mg warfarin pill. So, rather than fill your prescription with 20mg pills, ask to receive half as many 40mg pills, then do the splitting at home. With this one trick, you can sometimes halve your costs!
Splitting pills is not difficult. Most pharmacies sell cheap pill-splitting kids that have everything you need. Talk to your doctor and make sure your dosage can be safely divided, but most people can save money on blood thinners simply by receiving larger pills.