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Organization: Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital
Date: February 10, 2009
Henry Mayo Hospital Offers Tips on Controlling Prescription Drug Costs in Tough Economic Climate
Gerald A. Subar, Pharm.D., is the director of pharmacy services at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.
VALENCIA, CA (February 10, 2009) — While the downturn in the economy may be causing many people to rethink their spending habits, one important area people are reminded not to neglect is the taking of their medications. Experts are reminding the public that despite economic pressures, following prescription instructions is critical for long-term health and minimizes the chance of far more costly and serious health problems in the future.
"While it may be tempting to save money by breaking a tablet in half or taking the dose every other day, such actions can have dangerous unintended consequences," said Gerald A. Subar, Pharm.D., director of pharmacy services at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. "The best thing a person can do is follow instructions but also be smart when it comes to taking control of their own healthcare and keeping costs to a minimum."
Toward that end, Dr. Subar offers the following recommendations to help keep prescription costs under control:
• Check out generic drugs. These are just the same as a brand name but cost a lot less. Some of the major drug and discount stores with pharmacies have programs that can provide generic drugs for as low as $4 a month.
• If you are being treated for a chronic condition with a brand name drug that does not have a generic available, talk to your doctor. In many cases, older drugs that come in generic may be just as good in treating your condition and will be far less expensive than the newer, brand name drug.
• Check with your insurance to see if a mail order option is available. Under some plans, a 90 day supply can be obtained at the same cost as a 60 day supply at a retail pharmacy; essentially giving you one month for free. In addition, the medication is sent directly to your home, eliminating the need to make an extra trip (and extra cost) to the pharmacy.
• Ask your pharmacist to review all the medications you are taking, particularly if you see more than one doctor, to ensure there are no drug duplications and to avoid the possibility of harmful interactions between drugs.
• Ask your doctor about any patient assistance programs that may be available. These programs, established by major pharmaceutical companies, are designed to provide medications at low or no cost to the patient. Two such programs are Partnership for Prescription Assistance, www.pparx.org, and RxHope, www.rxhope.com.
"People being treated for infections with antibiotics need to be particularly conscientious in taking their drug exactly as prescribed," said Dr. Subar. "Antibiotics kill bacteria, but only if the blood levels of the antibiotic reach a high enough level or are sustained for a certain period of time. By taking a lower than prescribed dose, the individual may become sicker than with the original infection, which could result in additional drugs being prescribed or even hospitalization."
In the case of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, not taking the prescribed dose can result in harm to the kidneys or other vital organs, Dr. Subar added. "The end consequence can be a heart attack, a stroke or even death."
In addition to following prescription instructions, Dr. Subar advises individuals to keep themselves healthy throughout the year through proper diet and exercise. As a non-profit community hospital, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital offers a robust schedule of community health education programs, lectures, and screenings to help the community improve their overall well-being and adopt the healthiest lifestyle possible. An updated calendar of health events can be found at www.henrymayo.com/html/about_outreach.asp.
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ABOUT HENRY MAYO — Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is a 221 bed not-for-profit acute care hospital serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 1975. Services include trauma, emergency, intensive care, maternity, surgery, nursing, wound care, behavioral health, and acute rehab, as well as cancer, cardiology, imaging, lab, digestive, respiratory services and physical and occupational therapies. Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is located at 23845 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355-2083. For more information, visit www.henrymayo.com or call 661-253-8000.
