Medications and how to afford them, using them as directed so that we get the proper benefit and disposing of them safely when we no longer need them are issues that affect many of us in our daily lives. For some who have Medicare, the advent of Medicare D prescription drug coverage and all its complexities has changed how you get your medications. Most have figured out the ins and outs of their plans, but it only takes being prescribed a new medication that may not be covered to send you on a new journey of discovery.
Another factor that may lead to confusion is the availability of many prescription discount cards, including the ProAct Discount Card, which was recently mailed to all Otsego County households.
A discount card isn't insurance and can not be combined with insurance coverage. Discount cards may help those with no insurance to save money. Savings depend on pharmacy, medication and type of card used. This is because the price of medications is different among retail pharmacies and each card negotiates its own cost savings.
Those without prescription coverage may want to look into a variety of programs that could be more beneficial than a discount card. Such programs include Medicare D, EPIC, Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, Healthy New York, Family Health Plus and Patient Assistance Programs. There are differing qualifications for the programs, and those 60 and older may contact the Office for Aging for assistance.
For those with a Medicare D plan, using a discount card instead of enrolling in or maintaining a Medicare D plan may have a negative impact on your prescription and other health coverage, including a late enrollment penalty when you enroll or re-enroll in a D plan, or loss of other coverage.
A discount card may help for those who get to the "doughnut hole," but it could also delay getting out of the doughnut hole and into the catastrophic coverage period.
A person's individual circumstances and which medications he is taking will determine what is the best course of action. Talk to your pharmacist about the discount cards to see what may be the most help for you.
Taking medications as directed can also be a challenge, particularly for those who take a variety of medications at different times of the day. The National Institute on Aging provides some good suggestions in one of their Age Pages from which the following information was taken.
Experts suggest that you make a list of all the medicines you take. Show it to all your health care providers including physical therapists and dentists. Keep one copy in your medicine cabinet and one in your wallet or pocketbook. The list should include the name of each medicine, doctor who prescribed it, reason it was prescribed, amount you take and time you take it.
Read and save all written information that comes with the medicine.
Take your medicine in the exact amount and at the time your doctor prescribes.
Call your doctor right away if you have any problems with your medicine or if you are worried that the medicine might be doing more harm than good. Your doctor may be able to change your medicine to a different one that will work better for you.
Use a memory aid to take your medicines on time. Some people use meals or bedtime as reminders to take their medicine. Other people use charts, calendars and weekly pill boxes to remind them. Use a system that works for you.
Do not skip doses of medication or take half doses to save money. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you can't afford the prescribed medicine. There may be less-costly choices or special programs to help with the cost of certain drugs. Ask for the simplest medication regime
Avoid mixing alcohol and medicine. Some medicines may not work correctly or may make you sick if taken with alcohol.
Take your medicine until it's finished or until your doctor says it's OK to stop.
Don't take medicines prescribed for another person or give yours to someone else.
Don't take medicine in the dark. To avoid making a mistake, turn your light on before reaching for your pills.
Check the expiration dates on your medicine bottles and properly dispose of outdated medicines.
Don't leave your medicine on a kitchen table or counter where a young child may get into it. Make sure you store all medicines and supplements out of sight and out of reach of children.
Remember, medicines that are strong enough to cure you can also be strong enough to hurt you if they aren't used the right way. Learn to be a smart consumer of medicine which includes safe disposal.
Safe disposal of medication is taking on a new meaning. For years the recommendation was to flush unused or outdated medications down the drain. Now we know flushed medications can get into our lakes, rivers and streams. Research has shown that continuous exposure to low levels of medications has altered the behavior and physiology of fish and aquatic organisms. A nationwide study done in 1999 and 2000 by the United States Geological Survey found low levels of drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, contraceptives and steroids in 80 percent of the rivers and streams tested.
When disposing of medications, to avoid accidental or intentional misuses of drugs, add water and then salt, ashes, dirt, cat litter, coffee grounds or another undesirable substance to the medication.
Hide all medications in an outer container, such as sealable bag, box or plastic tub to prevent discovery and removal from the trash. Seal the container with strong tape.
Dispose of drugs as close to your trash collection day as possible to avoid misuse.
Additional information about safe disposal of medications is available on the state Department of Enivronmental Protection's and the Otsego County Planning Department's websites.
Also, watch for information about medications being added to the county's annual hazardous waste collection day in September.
Frances Wright is director of the Otsego County Office for the Aging.
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