Online pharmacies are currently among the easiest ways for a person to get a medicine without the hassle of leaving the home or office and driving to the nearest neighborhood drugstore. They mostly appeal to busy individuals who cannot afford to put too much time in buying medicine, especially with the websites? round-the-clock service and easy price comparison. The drawback, though, is that the continuing boom in the websites? numbers has made it hard for potential customers to choose among them.
This is coupled with the fact that not all online pharmacies operating on the Internet are reputable and trustworthy. There are fraudulent and rogue sites whose purpose is to gain large profits by swindling people?s hard-earned money. The good news is that potential customers can first consult with the various online pharmacy review sites operating on the Internet. They feature well-written pharmacy reviews that include vital information like user feedback, referrals, price comparisons, and insider knowledge.
Nowadays, a number of senior citizens, especially in the US, do not have an insurance policy (or are underinsured) ? and are thus forced to spend a lot on medicines. This takes a big toll on their income, and those families find themselves cutting back on basic needs. Finding cheap online pharmacies can be a significant step towards saving more money without sacrificing other finances. Some even sell cheap drugs that are not available even in land-based discount pharmacies.
Still, some Americans today find that they cannot afford their medicine even with Medicare drug benefit plans. Here are some ways that the new American healthcare bill can help citizens who are in need of cheap drugs.
Knowing the so-called ?doughnut hole?
According to current Medicare provisions, seniors who are enrolled in the Part D plan are required to shoulder 25 percent of prescription drug costs until arriving at a total of $2,830, after which they will be compelled to pay the full cost of the drugs until the total reaches $4,550. Only then will the so-called ?catastrophic coverage? will be applied and will enable them to pay only five percent of the medicine costs for the year. This gap between the yearly limit and catastrophic coverage is the doughnut hole, which also means that the person has had a sudden and steep increase in prescription drug costs starting from January.
Studies conducted by the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine show that in 2006, there were more than 3.4 million Americans enrolled in the Medicare Part D plan, although the only ones to regularly reach the doughnut hole are those afflicted with dementia and diabetes. Professor Susan Ettner also adds that only about 16 percent entered the coverage gap, three percent of which reached it within the year?s first three months.
Discounts and rebates for people in the doughnut hole
The new healthcare bill states that over the next nine years, starting in 2011, discounts and price cuts on generic and branded drugs will be implemented, especially for the people already in the doughnut hole. For 2010, the bill will provide a one-time $250 rebate for those in the hole.
Eventually lowering drug costs
Starting in 2011, there will be a 50 percent discount for branded drugs, which will gradually increase over the coming years. For example, in 2015, it is estimated that a person will only pay 45 percent of the drug cost, while in 2018 it will go down to 35 percent. For generic drugs, costs will be cut by seven percent every year ? in 2015, a person will shoulder 65 percent of the medicine cost, but by 2018, he will only pay 44 percent. Lastly, by 2020, Plan D enrollees are simply required to pay 25 percent of generic and branded drug costs until the catastrophic coverage.
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