Medication Sticker Shock

Medication can be very expensive.  Our doctor recently wrote a prescription for a medication (not for ADHD) that would have cost $1049 to fill (for a generic medicine!), if we had agreed to it.

This underlines the fact that people who need to take medication for ADHD need to have good prescription coverage.  Before you sign up to buy a plan, make sure that it covers medications for ADHD, preferably more than one, just in case.

If you are like many people, though, health insurance is too expensive to buy a great prescription plan.  So what can you do to afford the medication?  The most important thing is to make sure your doctor is willing to work with you in dealing with costs.  The only way to know is to ask.

For us the standard procedure is to walk out of the doctor's office and call around from the doctor's parking lot to different pharmacies--the prices can vary by 50% or more.  However, if you are dealing with a controlled prescription, like a stimulant, you may need to show your prescription to get a price.  This is a security measure that pharmacies have to prevent drug dealers from robbing them.
Surprisingly, discount pharmacies don't always have the lowest prices, so it pays to shop around.  Our list includes:  Walmart, Target, Sam's Club, and a couple of local grocery stores.  If the medicine is too expensive, then we go back into the office with the prescription and say it is too expensive/not covered, what other options are there? 

Another new way to shop around is to use GoodRx.  This company lists drug prices for area pharmacies, enabling a price comparison without all the running around.   This website, also available as a mobile app, will allow you to check the retail price (no insurance) of many medications, and also offers coupons.

 If  you have any prescription coverage, you could even check your insurance company's website before your appointment to see which medications are options for you.  As of today, guanfacine (short acting Tenex) is the only one available on the $4 generic program at Walmart/Target/Kroger.

Another strategy is to get help from the drug company.  For this, you need a prescription for a brand name medicine from your doctor (usually it will be filled for generic if it is available).  Then, do an internet search for  "(insert brand name) patient assistance program" and see what you get.  Sometimes the medication's website will have a coupon instead of a patient assistance program.  This is especially true for the newer medications.

Some doctors can help by giving samples.  However, many ADHD meds are controlled substances and are not readily available as samples.  It never hurts to ask, though, especially if it is a new medication and you're not sure if it will work or have intolerable side effects.

Finally, you can try to use nonmedicinal strategies to reduce your dose of medication.  Very few people are able to eliminate their medication entirely this way, however.

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