Medications

How to trim your medication costs

Prescription drug prices are rising. Three strategies may help lower your pharmacy bill.

trim your medication costs
 Image: UrosPoteko/Thinkstock

If you're trying to avoid (or already have) heart disease, chances are you're taking several prescription medications. In fact, about a third of adults over age 62 take at least five prescription drugs, which can be a real budget buster for some people. And recent rises in drug prices, especially for new, brand-name medications, are enough to make anyone gulp.

"By working with your doctor and your pharmacist and spending some time shopping around, you may be able to lower your pharmacy bill," says John Fanikos, director of pharmacy at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. He suggests three main strategies:

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