According to a 2018 report published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), more than 87% of adults ages 65+ take at least one prescription medication per month, and almost 40% take five or more prescription medications monthly.
Why Americans Go Shopping foreign country for Medications?
According to Fortune.com, United States has the highest prescription medication spending in the world.
Americans with high deductible insurance plans must pay out of pocket for prescriptions until they hit their deductible—which could be as much as $5,000 to $6,000 each year. However, when they hit their deductible and are free from paying out of pocket, the plan will renew again.
There are lots of expensive brand name medications in the U.S. that you can get from Canadian pharmacies for a much lower price. Importing personal prescription medication from Canada is an option for individuals who need to save money on medication(s).
More than half of the respondents in a survey, released by the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) on January 8, 2019, say they save up to $199.00/month while 38% said they save anywhere from $300-910/month by ordering medications from licensed online pharmacies.
The Real Impact of Personal Medication Importation
For example, patients who have heart condition require medications (i.e., Eliquis, Xarelto) to treat and prevent blood clots for everyday use.
Let’s compare the price of Eliquis (apixaban, 5mg), 60 tablets, which is brand name medication manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb.
- The average retail price of 60 tablets Eliquis (a 30-day supply) is approximately $579 from the local pharmacies in the U.S, as of Jun 24, 2021.
- On Amazon Pharmacy, the price is a bit lower – about $509.
- The lowest GoodRx price for the most common version of Eliquis is around $500.
- However, the same brand name Eliquis is only $148 from Canadian Pharmacy. Ordering from an online Canadian pharmacy instead of shopping locally, patients can save 70%, $4,236 a year.
Is it legal to buy medications (personal importation) from Canadian Pharmacies?
Fortunately, some Canadian prescription referral services team also can source the same manufacture’s brand name medication from Turkey. The price is just $81.22 for 56 tablets.
U.S. officials are allowing it to happen. According to the FDA:
A personal importation is a product not for sale or distribution into the U.S. commerce. These products may be carried in baggage or shipped by courier or international mail.
The FDA, however, has a policy explaining that it typically does not object to personal imports of prescription medications that FDA has not approved under certain circumstances. Thus, customs officials allow the companies to mail up to 90-day personal supplies of medications.
Most prescription importation companies act as logistics partners to connect licensed, regulated pharmacies outside the U.S. with patients inside the U.S, according to corpsyn.com.
As a consumer how can you save money when purchasing your life-saving medications?
Purchasing your prescription medications from PlusVirtual can drastically reduce your medication costs! You can get the same medications you buy from your local pharmacy but for a lower price.
PlusVirtual works with most CIPA certified pharmacies for your peace of mind, meaning it is certified by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, verifying that this is a safe online location to purchase your medications from.
The Bottom Line
Online Canadian pharmacy services especially PlusVirtual can still be beneficial even if you have Medicare Part D plan*, especially if some of your medications are not covered under the plan you select.
Your Medicare co-pay may not be the pharmacy’s lowest price, especially if you have not reached your deductible, are in the donut hole, or are purchasing a medication that is not on your formulary.
Just like with other types of insurance, you can still use PlusVirtual if you have Medicare Part D.
It is easy to search for your medication on PlusVirtual before going to the pharmacy to see what the savings would be. If you order the expensive medications with affordable prices from Jason’s PlusVirtual and buy your generics through Medicare plan, you may be able to stay out of the donut hole.
By combining your benefits from Medicare Part D with low-cost medications from PlusVirtual, you are saving up to hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs.
PlusVirtual works with certified pharmacies by Canadian International Pharmacy Association. No hidden costs, no membership fees, just great savings on all your prescription needs.
Next time before you place order, especially on brand name medications, call them to see if they can match the price and help you save on your prescription medications.
If you have questions about your prescription medications or any other medication, please contact our team at PlusVirtual or ask your doctor to send your prescriptions to us and we handle the rest for you. One of our patient representatives will be happy to assist you or transfer you to a licensed Canadian pharmacist for a free consultation.
*Also called the Medicare prescription drug benefit, is an optional United States federal-government program to help Medicare beneficiaries pay for self-administered prescription drugs.
References:
corpsyn.com
fortune.com
FDA.gov