Save Money with Better Living with Generics™

Did you know that in most cases generic drugs are equally effective as brand-name drugs but usually cost far less? Given all you can save by taking generic drugs, we want to invite you to join hundreds of your fellow Sterling Retiree Rx members who appreciate our Better Living with Generics program. How do you get generic drugs? It’s usually easy when you take the following steps:

• Ask your doctor to prescribe generics or write “may substitute” on your prescriptions. “May substitute” means that the pharmacist can substitute the generic equivalent for your prescription at the pharmacy.
• Say “yes” if your pharmacist asks whether you would like the generic equivalent of the brand name medicine your doctor prescribed.
• If there is no generic equivalent for a brand name medicine you are prescribed, ask your doctor if there is a generic alternative available to treat your condition and if it would be right for you. A “generic alternative” is a therapeutic alternative utilizing a generic drug to treat the same condition.

Consumer Reports identifies “Best Buy Drugs”

We all trust Consumer Reports to tell us the pros and cons of consumer electronics and cars, but now they have put their research to work to assist consumers in selecting low cost drugs that work just as well as their brand name counterparts.

Consumer Reports “Best Buy Drugs”, a public education project, makes comparative drug information available free of charge at Consumer Reports Health. They used research reports from experts at the Drug Effectiveness Review Project at the Oregon Health and Science University to provide this helpful report. A “Best Buy Drug” must be as safe and effective as others in its class and available at a lower cost. Patients and health care professionals can utilize the Consumer Reports Web site for unbiased information about specific drug products in the 35 classes currently reviewed.

Below please find a chart depicting some of the most popular low cost drugs researched by Consumer Reports.

Tremendous savings with Generic Drugs

Why would you ever take a generic drug when you could stick with a trusted brand name? In a word: price. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients at the same strength and purity as their brand-name counterparts, but they come at a fraction of the cost. According to the Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs save consumers an estimated $10 billion to $15 billion a year.

How much you save is up to you. If you ask your doctor about generic drugs and shop around for the best price, you could reduce your medical expenses substantially.