Tip for the Most Affordable Generic Zocor Prescription: Buy it in the U.S.
According to the American Heart Association, cholesterol is a waxy substance needed by our bodies to build cells. It is not bad for your body, but there is both bad cholesterol and good cholesterol. Eating a proper diet along with exercising, losing any extra weight and stopping smoking can help keep your cholesterol levels balanced. If that isn’t enough, your doctor can prescribe you simvastatin, the generic version of Zocor to help bring down your bad cholesterol level. According to LowestMed.Com, it was the seventh most frequently prescribed prescription drug in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2016.
We wanted to compare prices to see how much a 30-day supply of the generic version of Zocor would cost in the U.S. versus in Canada if a person had no insurance. The best price that we could find on GoodRx.com for a 30-day supply of 20-milligram simvastatin was $4.54 with a free coupon at Costco. When we called and spoke with someone at a Costco pharmacy in Canada, the price quoted was $15.00 CAD. After converting to U.S. dollars and including the foreign transaction fee of 2.5%, the total out-of-pocket costs would be $12.14. Americans only pay 37% of what Canadians do for the same prescription pills from the same company’s pharmacy.
Are generic drugs a big part of medications dispensed in America?
According to the Association for Accessible Medicines, 89% of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2016 were for generic drugs, but all of those prescriptions only accounted for 26% of the money that people spent on drugs. Over a ten year period, opting for generic drugs saved Americans $1.76 trillion. Generics have the same effectiveness, strength, purity, safety, and active ingredients as brand-name drugs. The only differences in a generic are the inactive ingredients, appearance, and price.
How can I use this tip to save money for my family?
According to Consumer Reports, about 40% of the people they surveyed said they had cut corners with their prescription drugs to make ends meet – splitting pills, skipping doses or not filling their prescriptions at all. If you are concerned about the price of their medication, the first person you should speak to is your doctor to see if a lower-cost alternative in the same class of drugs is available. The fastest way to dramatically lower your prescription costs is to always get the generic version if one is available.
If you do not have a Costco membership, other pharmacies like Kroger, Safeway, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and Albertsons all offered the same 30-day prescription for at most $10.00. If that would still be too much stress on you financially, your best option is to head over to NeedyMeds.org. Using their drug pricing calculator, we checked the price in several zip codes for a 30-day supply of generic Zocor using their free drug discount card and the best price was $8.14. There is also a patient assistance program that can help you with any co-pay you may have.