Internet Site Eases Pharmacy Costs With Discount Coupons
17-May-2007: The National Association of chain drug stores estimates more than $3 billion retail prescriptions were written in 2005 with an average cost of a prescription just under $65.
The findings prompted the National Center for Policy Analysis to develop a consumer source for shopping for drugs which included destinationrx.com for comparison shopping and rxaminer.com to find a less expensive drug with the same therapeutic benefits.
"We found a third option, a site for discount coupons called optimizerx.com," Local 6's Mike Holfeld said.
David Harold is a veteran Michigan pharmaceutical executive who has developed the country's first source for pharmaceutical discount coupons.
"There is a reason why your doctor has prescribed a certain medicine," Harold said. "And ideally, if we can help keep that patient better afford that medicine they're more likely to stay on that medicine and they will have better health outcomes."
Harold said regardless of where you get your prescriptions filled, users can take advantage of the savings.
"Some of these offers are on individual sites but there is no place you can go to centrally access a complete array of all available savings for both prescription branded medicines as well as over the counter products," Harold said.
Local 6 found a $70 discount for asthma medication Advair, a $10 discount for allergy remedy Zyrtec and a free trial for the sleeping pill Lunesta.
In all, the site offers 75 leading pharmaceutical companies in the top 15 therapies from blood pressure to diabetes, the report said.
Local 6 reported that deals on Optimizerx.com can cut the cost of co-pay fees by as much as $30 or more.
"And if the drug you select doesn't have a discount offer, you will be taken to an alternative product within the same class of prescriptions," Local 6's Bob Frier said.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Source: Local6.com
