| Starting in 2006, no plans that are qualified to work | | | | supply plus three refills. This will get you a year's |
| with a health savings account may cover prescription | | | | worth of drugs, with only one shipping fee.One |
| drugs as an insured benefit until after the deductible | | | | company that has good prices is Save Now Discount |
| is met. So for HSA owners, one of your biggest | | | | Pharmacy. They have a 'no insurance' business model, |
| health expenses could be for prescription drugs. Here | | | | and have been able to reduce their prices by |
| are some ways to reduce those costs.GenericsA | | | | eliminating the cost of dealing with insurance |
| report was published this week by Express Scripts | | | | companies. They also post prices online, so it's easy |
| Inc., a pharmacy benefit manager, indicating that | | | | to compare. Unfortunately, they are only licensed in |
| increased use of generic drugs would save | | | | 13 states at present, but they will apparently be |
| consumers $24 billion in 2005. Generic drugs cost an | | | | expanding soon. You can check them out at |
| average of $60 less per month, than brand name | | | | Prescription DrugsThe city of Boston, the city of San |
| drugs.A report was published this week by Express | | | | Francisco, the state of Wisconsin, and the State of |
| Scripts Inc., a pharmacy benefit manager, indicating | | | | Minnesota all use a company called Total Pharmacy |
| that increased use of generic drugs would save | | | | Care to give their citizens access to international |
| consumers $24 billion in 2005. Generic drugs cost an | | | | mail-order pharmaceuticals.Officially, re-importation of |
| average of $60 less per month, than brand name | | | | prescription drugs by anyone other than the drug's |
| drugs.It is important to understand that brand name | | | | manufacturer is a violation of federal law. But FDA |
| drugs often have little or no benefit over older | | | | enforcement guidelines allow agents to exercise |
| generic versions. A prime example is Prilosec, a | | | | discretion for drugs imported for personal use. |
| heartburn medication whose patent was scheduled to | | | | According to the guidelines, "FDA personnel may |
| expire in April of 2001. Prilosec consists of two | | | | consider a more permissive policy" in cases where an |
| "isomers", a right-hand version and a left hand | | | | individual seeks to import no more than a three |
| version. Studies showed an 87% success rate for | | | | month supply of a product that does not appear to |
| this drug. AstraZeneca, the manufacturer, decided to | | | | pose an unreasonable risk, if the individual affirms in |
| offer a newly patented single isomer version called | | | | writing that it is for personal use and provides the |
| Nexium, which showed only fractionally better results | | | | name and address of the U.S. doctor supervising their |
| with a 90% success rate.A $500 million marketing | | | | treatment.Advocacy groups cite these guidelines as |
| campaign ensued, aimed at both physicians and | | | | proof that re-importation is legal. But in a February |
| consumers, to convince them that Nexium is | | | | 2003 letter, the FDA's Associate Commissioner, |
| "state-of-the-art". AstraZeneca now sells over $3 | | | | Thomas Hubbard, said the guidelines have been |
| billion worth of pills annually, at $120 per box. This is a | | | | misinterpreted. They were meant to allow FDA |
| drug that is essentially only a repackaged version | | | | agents discretion in allowing U.S. citizens access to |
| Prilosec, which sells for about $20 per box.When your | | | | medicines for serious conditions that were unavailable |
| doctor is prescribing a drug, make sure to ask him if | | | | or hard to find in the states, not to allow international |
| there is any benefit to taking a brand name over a | | | | comparison price shopping.Nevertheless, thousands of |
| generic, and let it be known that you'll be paying for | | | | U.S. citizens have found they can save money by |
| the prescription out of your own pocket.Drug | | | | buying their drugs from outside the country. Drug |
| Discount ProgramsPharmaceutical prices are a lot like | | | | price comparisons from several countries (Canada is |
| hospital prices - very few people actually pay the | | | | not always the cheapest!) can be found at Keep in |
| listed retail price. There are numerous drug discount | | | | mind that since this importation is technically illegal |
| cards available on the market, which provide savings | | | | (though rarely enforced), it may not be proper to |
| that average 15% to 40% below retail at | | | | use your HSA to pay for prescriptions purchased this |
| participating pharmacies. Typically, most of the chain | | | | way. Talk to your accountant if you decide to go this |
| pharmacies (CVS, Eckerd, Walmart, Kroger, Costco, | | | | route.Avoiding Prescription DrugsThe people who |
| etc.) participate in these plans.Many insurance | | | | spend the least on prescription drugs are those who |
| companies include discount cards as an additional | | | | rarely take them. The need to take an antibiotic for |
| benefit that comes with their coverage. Because | | | | an acute infection may seem fairly expensive, but it |
| these cards are not considered to be insurance, they | | | | is nothing compared to the cost of taking a |
| can be offered with an HSA-qualified plan. Insurance | | | | medication for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, by |
| companies that provide Rx discount cards with their | | | | age 45 over half of all Americans are on a regular |
| HSA plans include American Medical Security, Anthem | | | | prescription medication, and by age 65 nearly half are |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield, Assurant, Golden Rule, Imerica, | | | | on three or more prescriptions during any given |
| Unicare, and World. We also know of one HSA | | | | month. Most of this is entirely preventable.Some of |
| administrator - - that provides a drug discount | | | | the biggest selling drugs are to treat elevated |
| program to people who use them.Stand-alone drug | | | | cholesterol, hypertension, and acid reflux. A paper |
| discount plans are also available to anyone with | | | | published this year in the American Journal of Clinical |
| access to the internet. We've found the average | | | | Nutrition entitled Origins and evolution of the western |
| cost of these discount plans to be around $7 or $8 a | | | | diet: Health implications for the 21st century, explains |
| month. HSA for America has secured for its | | | | how these and other common health issues did not |
| members (and readers of this newsletter) a free | | | | exist for our hunter-gatherer ancestors, and how diet |
| discount Rx card through a company called Drug Card | | | | is the root cause of so many of the health problems |
| America. To enroll online, simply visit: | | | | people in our culture experience.The author is Dr. |
| 9c22-d335be23527c}. You may want this card in | | | | Loren Cordain, one of my professors at Colorado |
| addition to any other cards, since the card that | | | | State University. In a nutshell, he shows why the |
| offers the best deal usually varies, depending on the | | | | healthiest diet is one based on fruits, vegetables, fish, |
| drug.If you're looking for a plan that has co-pays for | | | | and lean meat. Foods to be avoided or limited include |
| prescription drugs rather than only discounts, | | | | added sugars, shortening and other processed |
| American Health Care Options offers a four-tiered | | | | vegetable oils, grains, and legumes. These are all |
| prescription card program where you pay $10, $20, | | | | foods that did not exist in our diet prior to about |
| $50, or a special discount price for generic and brand | | | | 10,000 years ago, and are thus foods that we are |
| name drugs. You can check the tier of any drug | | | | not genetically adapted to eat.Remember that all |
| you're interested in, and apply online at The cost of | | | | qualified expenses, including prescription drugs, can be |
| this plan is $19.95 per month for an individual, or | | | | paid for tax-free, from your HSA. If you've still got a |
| $29.95 for a family.Mail OrderIf the need for a | | | | traditional health insurance policy and would like to |
| prescription is not urgent, or if you are on long-term | | | | investigate a health savings account, please visit us at |
| medication, mail order is almost always a less | | | | HSA for America and we'll be happy to help you.By |
| expensive way to buy prescription drugs. It is | | | | Wiley P Long - President, HSA for America. At HSA |
| generally cheaper to get a 90-day supply because of | | | | for America, we makes it easy to learn about and |
| a volume discount. I recommend asking your | | | | set up health savings accounts. |
| physician to write the prescription for a 3-monthly | | | | |