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Prescription Drug Plans Comparison

Several prescription drug plans are available to people who are uninsured or under-insured. The cost for these plans is relatively low and varies based on certain criteria. For instance, Medicare offers several plan options, but to get the lowest premium, it might be necessary to have the doctor change some prescriptions to generic.

  1. Medicare Plans

    • The prices on the Medicare plans vary according to the prescriptions, the availability of generic replacements, the quantity and dosage, and the pharmacy selected. Medicare offers a comparison among all the plans it offers. The plans offer the option of lowering premiums by accepting alternative medications. For instance, if you have a prescription for Lipitor (a cholesterol-lowering medication), which would cost about $33 for a 30-day supply, they suggest pravastatin or lovastatin for $9 for a 30-day supply.

    CVS Caremark

    • A free prescription card plan called RxSavingsPlus is available for people who do not have insurance or who take medications their insurance doesn't cover. Membership is free and gives an average discount of 20 percent off the retail price of many drugs. This card can be used at all CVS pharmacies, Rite-Aids and Walgreens and 59,000 other participating pharmacies nationwide. Cardholders can save 50 percent on a 90-day supply from the CVS Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy.

    Alliance Health Card

    • The Alliance Health Card is a discount prescription program that offers savings of 10 percent to 60 percent for $19.95 a month. If you want hospitalization and physician visits included, the card costs $29.95 under the platinum membership option. The Alliance Health Card offers the same discounts to everyone in your immediate family, and members have access to brand-name as well as generic prescriptions. All applications are accepted regardless of pre-existing conditions or age, and there are no yearly deductibles or maximums on services.

    1020 Rx

    • With the 1020 Rx plan, members pay maximum of $10 to $40 for brand-name drugs or generics. There are no restrictions on age, pre-existing health conditions or use of the card. No reimbursements are involved and no paperwork is required, and this plan offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. There are two plans for individuals: $14.99 for prescription-only coverage, and $24.99 for prescription coverage plus a dental and vision plan. The family plan starts at $19.99 for prescription-only and $29.99 for prescription, dental and vision.

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