I worked as a pharmacy assistant for four years, and before starting, I genuinely had no idea how the B.C. healthcare system worked. Here’s my attempt at making healthcare more accessible by sharing the wisdom I’ve gained in getting people the lowest costs on their prescriptions.
Save money by going for generic brands.
Ask your pharmacy if you can fill your prescription with generic brands instead of brand names (this is the equivalent of walking into Walmart to grab Reactine and buying the cheaper Great Value-brand cetirizine instead).
The name brand is just the company that funded the initial research and development of the drug. It doesn’t mean their product is superior to generics, which must demonstrate that they’re just as effective as the brand name before they’re put on the market.
If you only want the brand name, find a card to bring the cost down.
Some people prefer brand name medications, and they can still get their costs reduced. Look into getting yourself a coverage card that brings down the cost of brand name products to be the equivalent as generic. InnoviCares and RxHelp are two websites that allow you to sign up for a card on select medication that can be presented at your pharmacy to instantly save money (It’s a way that brand name companies boost their products. It sounds too good to be true, but believe me: it’s legit, free, and is essentially a coupon).
Many other websites offer their own coverage cards. For example, Vyvanse, an ADHD medication, has a Savings tab on their website.
If you smoke nicotine, get free products once a year.
B.C. has a Smoking Cessation program that will give you three months worth of nicotine products for free once a year. If you’re looking to save some money on your habit (hey, I don’t judge) or you’re looking to quit, this is a great option. Ask your pharmacy for more details.
Split your dose if you want to save money.
If your medication is available in double your normal dose, you can request your pharmacy to fill the higher strength and allow you to cut the pills in half. This means you can get more pills for a lower cost. Example: if you take 20mg of citalopram, your pharmacy can either fill it as a 20mg tablet (take one tab once a day, for example) or as half a 40mg tablet (now taken half a tab once a day). 30 pills now last you 60 days.
This can’t be done for all drugs though, so make sure to ask your pharmacist or doctor if it’s okay (capsules, unevenly shaped pills, and extended release or enterically-coated tablets are general no-no’s).
Ask for special authority if your regular medication isn’t covered by the government.
Drugs that are not eligible for coverage by B.C.’s Fair PharmaCare program have to be paid in full by the patient (or the patient’s third party coverage) and the amount you pay doesn’t go toward your deductible with PharmaCare (Not sure what a deductible is? Learn more about our healthcare system here). If you’re told that your medication is not covered by B.C.’s Fair PharmaCare program, you can’t afford it, and you can’t switch to a cheaper equivalent, you can ask your doctor to fill out a special authority form so it will be covered.
Take advantage of the free services of a pharmacy.
Believe it or not, pharmacies offer free services! You can get your annual flu shot free of charge and ask for over-the-counter recommendations, medical advice, and medication reviews. If you fill a prescription that’s new to you, pharmacists are also always available to go over it — side effects, how soon it’ll work, what interacts with it, etc.
You can also get free deliveries from pharmacies, free blister packing (pills arranged in days of the week or time of day that you pop out), and most retail-chain pharmacies have apps so you can fill and track your prescription without any hassle.
You can get prescriptions partially renewed by your pharmacist.
If you forgot to make a doctor’s appointment, weren’t aware you were out of refills, or otherwise just are in a prescription pickle, pharmacists are authorized — in most cases — to give you a supply of medication to last you until you can see a doctor. These are called adaptations (longer supplies, if you qualify) and emergency supplies (shorter supplies). These are at the discretion of the pharmacist you speak to, so expect them to be hesitant about giving controlled or narcotic medications (meds that could be abused and are highly monitored). These supplies should also not replace visits to your healthcare provider for prescriptions.
Image: Volodymyr Hryshchenko/Unsplash
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.
