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Sites like TrumpRx and GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs all claim to offer deals on prescription drugs. And there’s also a dizzying list of patient assistance, copay cards and even cash options from the drug companies themselves. So what can you do to make sure you're getting the best deal on your prescription?
NPR’s pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin has detailed advice. Here are a few of her tips:
1) Ask about a generic
Ask your doctor about a generic version of the drug you need, or if you forget, you can also ask your pharmacist. Generics drugs are copies of the brand-name versions that are often cheaper. Not all brands have generic versions, however.
2) Ask for less expensive equivalents
If there's no generic, it’s worth asking your doctor if there’s a similar but cheaper brand-name drug. For instance, Eliquis and Xarelto, are two brand-name blood thinners that have similar effects. And sometimes, the alternative drug even has a generic.
3) Search for drugmaker discounts
Check the search-by-drug tool maintained by the trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. It can pull up a list of brand-name savings options available to you from the drug companies themselves.
These include patient assistance programs for people who are uninsured or underinsured, as well as copay cards, which help offset costs at the pharmacy counter. Drug companies sometimes have discounts for customers paying cash.
4) Check discount sites
The big ones are GoodRx, Cost Plus Drugs, Amazon Pharmacy, Costco and Walmart. But there's no easy answer for which one will have the best price on any given day. You'll have to search and compare.
Get more tips on shopping for drugs. |
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Nuthawut Somsuk/Getty Images |
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It's easy to relish the brighter side of things when everything is going your way. But on those other days — your car broke down, your kid is sick (again) — finding a silver lining can feel futile.
But it's worth trying, behavioral scientist and psychologist Deepika Chopra tells NPR’s Life Kit.
Unlike pessimism, whose evolutionary purpose was to help humans survive by constantly imagining worst-case scenarios, optimism can be more helpful in solving problems in our modern world, Chopra says. She’s the author of the new book, The Power of Real Optimism.
Optimism keeps us "deeply rooted in reality, but at the same time, holds space for hope," she says.
And the best part is that anyone can train to see the glass as half-full, says Chopra. "Optimism is a muscle. We just have to work it out."
Chopra has tips on how to become more optimistic. Here’s a preview:
✔️Take the optimism quiz
The first step in honing this mindset is to figure out your starting point, Chopra says. She created a quiz, inspired by a questionnaire developed by the psychologist Martin Seligman, to give readers a general sense of their optimism.
📝Make a daily "ta-da list"
Make a list of all your accomplishments of the day, no matter how big or small. Include all the things you crossed off your to-do list — like launching a big project or doing the laundry. This practice can help build strength for the future, she writes in her book.
⏰Schedule "worry time"
To avoid being overwhelmed by our anxieties, Chopra recommends scheduling "worry time" into your day. Throughout the day, jot down any worries you have. Then, use your designated worry time to go down the list and ask yourself if you can control or change the worry. If you can't, ask yourself if you can let the worry go.
Take the quiz and read more advice for honing your optimism. |
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We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism online.
All best,
Carmel Wroth |
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