Proper medication and a healthy life go hand in hand. This is especially true during the sunset years of a person’s life. During this stage in life your earnings are minimal if any and you are probably wholly dependent on your life savings and family. Working to earn an income may not be feasible since you do not have the energy to do so. Furthermore you deserve some rest after laboring for many years.
At old age your body is always failing you as the cells continue to wear out. This is also the onset of chronic ailments and other old age health complications. Due to this, you will hardly find a senior citizen who is not under some form of medication. Medication is quite costly and it can cause a bad dent on your finances at old age. This is one of the main reasons behind the development of the prescription drug coverage program.
Prescription drug coverage is basically an insurance scheme meant to help senior citizens acquire the medication they need for their well being. It will involve paying small monthly premiums and when you need prescribed medication the scheme will contribute the deficit amount in the cost of the medication. To enroll for this program you have to be at least 65 years of age.
Benefits of Prescription Drug Coverage
- Medicine prescription is expensive especially to senior citizens who are no longer able to work. The prescription coverage ensures that they get the medicines they require for a healthy life at a cheap cost.
- This scheme also contributes positively to the health of these senior citizens since they are able to get their medicine in good time. The refills are faster since all that is required is for them to go and collect the medication. When leading a medication dependant life skipping a few doses might have severe negative consequences.
- It helps reduce overdependence on government run medication programs. Without money to buy medication people always run to the government for help. This causes further strain on the already overstretched public health sector.
- The program covers medication for many chronic illnesses including different types of cancer. Medicine prescription for chronic illnesses is extremely expensive and so very few people would be able to afford on their own. Having coverage improves the health of those suffering from these illnesses.
- It helps eliminate middle men in the form of pharmacies which are responsible for the high medicine costs. The profit margin fixed by these medicine retailers increases the final cost of that medicine. Under this scheme this avoidable cost is eliminated.
- There is little risk of buying counterfeit medication. This scheme is government initiated and so it is properly regulated ensuring that those enrolled only receive original medication.
As we battle the various diseases that have plagued mankind, proper medication will continue being in the front line of this battle field. Programs like prescription drug coverage under the Affordable Care Act couldn’t have come at a better time as they are more relevant now than they could have ever been. As we match towards a healthier population, some of the avoidable costs of medication have to be completely eliminated.
If you have a question about your medication or your prescriptions are covered under your current insurance plan, please feel free to contact one of our expert pharmacists at Rapps Pharmacy in Plainfield NJ.