Talking to Your Doctor About Saving with Generic Drugs

Most doctors want to keep their patient’s health care affordable.  However, some doctors may not know when generic drugs become available for certain prescription drugs.  Further, doctors may not know that generic drugs cost 30 to 80 percent less than brand-name drugs.  You, as a patient, may know more about your prescription drug costs than your physician.  With the cost of prescription drugs rising, it may be time to talk about your prescription drug costs with your physician.

Talking to your physician about generic drugs and reducing your prescription drug costs can be uncomfortable and confusing.  To help you get started, here are three questions you can ask your physician when he or she prescribes a brand-name drug.

1. Is there a generic drug that I can take instead of the brand-name drug you prescribed?  Doctors often have several medication options they can prescribe for your condition.  Generic drugs account for more than half of all prescriptions.  If your brand-name drug does not have an equivalent generic drug, there may be other generic drugs to treat your condition.
2. Will a generic drug provide effective treatment for me?  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated that generic drugs can be expected to work as well as the original brand-name drugs because generic drugs have the same active ingredients.  FDA-approved generic drugs also have the same quality and strength as brand-name drugs.  You and your doctor can determine if generics are right for you.
3. Would a 90-day supply of medication be right for me?  If you use a medication on a long-term basis and you have Standard Option, you can save the most money by ordering a 90-day supply of a generic drug through our Mail Service Pharmacy Program.  Basic Option benefits do not include a mail service pharmacy.

How Much Can You Save Using Generic Drugs?
When you use a Preferred retail pharmacy to purchase generic drugs, you pay 20 percent of our allowance.  You pay 30 percent for brand-name drugs.  That’s a 10 percent savings when you purchase generic drugs.   You can save even more when you participate in the Standard Option Generic Incentive Program.  We will waive your 20 percent coinsurance when you switch from certain brand-name drugs to specific generic drugs.   You can also save money when you switch under the mail service program.  You pay $10 for a generic drug and $70 for a brand-name drug. 

Please refer to Section 5(f) of the 2011 Service Benefit Plan brochure for more information about how using generics can save you money.

Written by Paula Spurway, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.  Resources:  2011 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure (RI 71-005); Medco Health Solutions, Inc. pamphlet, “How to talk to your doctor about savings with generics.”

Page last updated: December 21, 2011