It’s time to outsmart the drug companies. Both doctors and medical insurance companies will comply with you.
Some people have saved up to $400 a year by splitting pills, and it’s estimated 57% can split pills safely while only about 9% are doing so.
The best way to save on pill splitting is to have your doctor write the prescription to help you save dollars on drugs. The physician can write a one-month prescription at twice the dosage so you can stretch the prescription for two months. Or, the doctor can write a three-month prescription at twice the dosage, and you can stretch your med supply for 6 months. See what you insurance company covers for less. The monthly co-pay is smaller, but some companies will let you get three months of prescription for a two-month co-pay, at an overall savings.
Splitting is a safe practice for many medications, but not for all. There are some time-release drugs that can not be split, and there are some drugs that have to be an exact dosage, like birth control pills. Chemotherapy drugs are also not good meds to split. It is also not a good idea to take regular dosage drugs to stretch you money; you’ll be getting an inadequate amount of the drug.
But, for many, meds are taken daily to keep a certain amount of the drug in your system without precise levels. These are fine to split. It is better, however, that you don’t split before first asking your doctor or pharmacist and before purchasing a pill splitter for more consistent halving. These gadgets can be purchased at most drugstores or at box stores for under $10.
Many meds prescribed by a psychiatrist are not good to split; however, there are manufacturers of such drugs that have prescription assistant programs that will help you save if you qualify. For example, you can call 800 numbers for drugs like Buspar, Neurotin, or Rispedal.