While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been successful in bringing health insurance to millions of Americans, the rising cost of essential health care services like prescription medications remain a problem for many across the country. Consumers are facing higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses on medications these days, so just having insurance doesn’t guarantee someone can afford to pay for health care.

In fact, a recent report that was released this May from consumer advocacy group Families USA revealed that more than a quarter of adults who purchased individual health coverage through the ACA last year said they went without needed medical procedures or did not buy drugs because they could not afford it.

In an effort to assist those individuals who are underinsured or without insurance in the midst of rising health care costs, Paramount Rx has put together five tips to save money on important medical prescriptions.

1. Use a Prescription Discount Card – A prescription discount card program is especially beneficial for those who may receive little to no health care coverage from their employers and can even provide savings for those people facing higher co-pays and deductibles that apply to medications with existing insurance plans. Free to use with no maximum benefit limit, these programs can offer dramatic savings on both brand name and generic drugs.
2. Do Your Research – Paramount Rx recommends implementing a few best practices when filling prescriptions to ensure consumers get the best deal possible, such as first checking a prescription price through insurance and comparing it to a discount card rate. Additionally, you can call around to different pharmacies to compare pricing for additional savings opportunities.
3. Go Online – You can also utilize online tools to help locate pharmacies in your area who participate in a prescription discount program, research drug pricing and availability, from the convenience of your own homes.
4. Buy in Bulk – Many pharmacies today have programs in place that allow for 90-day fills at retail, which can provide savings opportunities when compared to plans that offer 30-day only at retail. Ask your local pharmacy about 90-day fills and you’ll also capitalize on the convenience of not having to go back-and-forth so often during the year.
5. Don’t Forget Your Pets – While the rising cost of health care does extend to pets, there are resources to help our four-legged friends as well. There are even separate pet prescription discount card programs designed specifically for pets, which offer discounts on all different types of pet medications.

Paramount Rx has established prescription discount card programs and other resources that have helped the public save millions of dollars on health care. In addition to working with a national network of over 54,000 participating pharmacies, Paramount Rx has established partnership discount card programs with a variety of organizations, like the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) and IBC Bank, to benefit their employees and customers.

For more details on Paramount Rx, along with information on how its programs provide costs saving for families and pets, please visit www.paramountrx.com.