Category Archives: California News

Medications can be expensive and unfortunately a lot people these days are going without. According to the Huffington Post, “Studies show roughly a quarter of patients don’t take medicines they need because they cannot afford them.” This is a startling statement considering if people are not taking the medications they need now, they will be in a world of hurt (and dealing with crazy expensive health insurance) down the road. So I have decided to track down the 16 best ways to save money on your prescription costs.

1. For starters, when a doctor is about to write a prescription, jump in with key questions:

• Are free samples available?
• Is the drug is generally covered by insurance plans?
• Is there a cheaper drug that will work as well?
• Is there a generic version?

2. Ask your doctor about pill-splitting:

Pill splitting is based on the fact that many pills cost about the same even if they contain twice as much medication. An 80 mg pill is often close in price to a pill with 40 mg of the same drug. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if your medication is safe for pill splitting. If so, ask your doctor to prescribe twice the dosage you really need, so you can split your pills in half.

Be aware, many pills are not safe to split, including time-released drugs, coated pills, and capsules. Make sure to ask your pharmacist whether it’s safe to split your pills.

3. Call all your local pharmacies and see who has the lowest prices on your medications. The money you saved maybe worth splitting up your prescriptions at two different pharmacies. If you take this route, it’s best to ask your doctor to write your prescriptions on different pieces of paper so you can get them filled individually.

4. Ask your pharmacist about in-store promotions to fill prescriptions. Sometimes stores will offer a gift card in return for filling prescriptions or a set amount off the price off the original price.

5. Check your memberships like AARP and AAA that offer prescription discounts to their members.

5. Prices at pharmacies are fluid and you can negotiate with your pharmacist. If one pharmacy has the best prices in town on all but one of the medications you’re taking, let the pharmacist know and see if she can give you a discount on that one drug. They want you as a patient and negotiating is a great way to build a relationship with them.

6. A patient assistance program may be able to help lower your out of pocket costs. You can look up patient assistance programs on the NeedyMeds web site, which provides information on almost 6,000 programs. They generally have income limits and other eligibility rules, but some are fairly generous.

7. Many pharmaceutical companies have programs that provide their drugs at deep discounts or even free for people in need. If you have a prescription for a high-cost drug, check out the company’s web site to see if they offer assistance.

9. Many government-subsidized health clinics provide prescriptions for free or at a discount based on the patient’s income.

10. Several national discount stores, including Target, Kmart and Walmart, as well as large grocery chains, offer hundreds of widely used generic drugs for just $4 to $10 a month.

11. If you’re insured, don’t assume your prescription plan offers the best price. Some high-volume discounters, such as Costco, offer great deals for cash-paying customers, particularly on generic drugs.

12. HealthWarehouse holds costs down by getting volume discounts directly from manufacturers. It sells about 3,500 drugs for people as well as pets, including refrigerated medicines. On the third Friday of each month – it offers a free prescription worth up to $500 to new customers or patients submitting a new prescription.

13. Use Coupons! Flip through magazines or go online to find coupons for the drugs you’re taking. A couple good coupon sites are Optimizerx.com and InternetDrugCoupons.com. Manufacturers often will offer a free 30-day trial or a coupon for a discount on the purchase of the drug. Sometimes, your doctor or pharmacist will have coupons available.

14. Scores of discount cards are available online, generally for free. Most are good for a variety of medicines, including generic drugs.

I like this Community Assistance Program card that saves the card holder an average 15% on brand name medications, and 55% on generic medications. I used it and received 50% off my antibiotics! My friends and family have also used this card and received nice discounts on their medications too. This card requires no personal information and is accepted at over 80% of pharmacies in the US and its territories, including Puerto Rico. Anyone can use the CAP card, regardless of age or income. It can be used in conjunction with your insurance card or other prescription discount cards.

Simply print the card below and present to the pharmacists at the time of purchase. No registration required.

15. Once you’ve found the best deals for your medicines, don’t assume you’re set for good. If prices for your drugs rise down the road, do your homework again.

16. Maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which are linked to obesity, require a lifelong commitment to prescription medications to manage them. By keeping fit and healthy, you may be able to minimize your risk of getting sick and reduce your medications all together. Remember the goal is a happy, healthy you not a lifetime consumer of medication.

Do you have any tip that we missed? Did we save you money? Did our tips work? Let us know by commenting in the box below! I’m sure there are tons of people who need this information so feel free to pass this on to friends and family!

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

ALL DRESSED UP:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost.

CARVING A NICHE:

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.

• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.

HOME SAFE HOME:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves or snow should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters.
• Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
•  Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
• Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will!
• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

 HEALTHY HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

A Concord resident has created the most wonderful tribute to her father and in the process created a day of joy for many around the world! If that wasn’t enough, this tribute has been carried on for over a decade! We were lucky enough to get an invite and we are passing along that invite to all of you!  Join her for her 10th Annual Ice Cream For Dinner Day tomorrow, October 15, 2015! It’s purpose is to share in the awesomeness of life! Check out the 411 below and click on the link below to RSVP. No need to go anywhere. Just celebrate at home with your family!

Here’s the back story:

On October 15, 2005, my father’s life was cut short after a very brief battle with cancer. While he was in the hospital, the doctor cleared him to have any food he wanted. I called and had my brother bring a small cup of Haagan Daas Vanilla ice cream brought in for him – his favorite. Dad never got to eat that ice cream.

As a tribute to my father, ice cream for dinner day was born.

Ice Cream for Dinner Day is an opportunity to reevaluate your priorities. Celebrate spontaneity. Realize that life is short and unpredictable and that sometimes you don’t get the opportunity to do things that you put off until later (like dessert). Remember those who have left us. Acknowledge the idea that watching the excitement on your children’s faces when you tell them you’re having ice cream for dinner is way more fun than trying to force them to eat their veggies, and for one night out of the year it truly will not kill them. Join in a tradition. Live a little.

Every year, there is always a group of people who reply “I would NEVER feed my kids ice cream before dinner!” This year, challenge yourself to break out of that mentality.

Invite everyone you know! I am always amazed and my heart is so warmed that this event spreads the way it does every year. In the past, Ice Cream for Dinner Day has made it to Australia, British Columbia and Israel! Every year the response is overwhelming and so touching. Raise a spoon and spread the love!

Click here to RSVP & Join in the fun!

Will your family participant? What’s your favorite flavor of ice? There are so many awesome flavors to choose from! Enjoy!