Medication Information
Most health care insurance programs for seniors do not cover the cost of prescription
drugs. The out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs, especially for those on a fixed income, can sometimes force a person
to choose between buying food and buying the required medicine to stay alive. Congress is supposed to address this issue soon.
I would urge you to write your senator or congressperson and let them know how you feel about this issue.
In 1998, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans spent $91 billion on prescription medications; the total is expected to reach $243 billion in 2008. Seniors account
for 13 percent of the population but more than a third of all drug spending, and nearly one-third of them lack insurance coverage.
Patients Assistance Programs: The U.S. Government Medicare site provides information on programs that offer discounts or free medication to individuals
in need, including information on prescription drug assistance programs, Medicare managed care plans, and Medigap plans that
offer prescription drug coverage in your area.
Buying Prescription Drugs from Canadian Pharmacies
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article
By Laura Johannes (January 18, 2001), "While politicians stand on their soapboxes and wail about high prescription-drug prices
in the U.S., a growing number of Americans are quietly finding a solution. By logging onto three different Web sites owned
and run by Canadian pharmacists and entrepreneurs, U.S. residents are saving 20% to 50%, and occasionally
more, on prescription drugs, even after dispensing and shipping fees.
The Internet is a far more convenient alternative than the well-publicized bus trips to Canada organized
for seniors last year by sympathetic legislators. Government controls in Canada help keep prices low. Customers ordering from
Canada also enjoy a favorable exchange rate: about 66 U.S. cents per Canadian dollar Wednesday.
One catch: Ordering drugs from Canada to save money is technically illegal in the U.S., though authorities
so far have mostly looked the other way. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines, citizens can import up to three
months of medicines for personal use -- but only if those medicines are not available in the U.S."
Here are the websites mentioned in the article. Order at your own risk.
Here is other Medication info that may interest you.