Clever Ways to Save Money Without Overextending Yourself
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a particularly expensive disease to manage. In general, patients need at least one or two medications to manage the symptoms, plus a range of aids and therapies to make daily life more comfortable. The fact that it’s a chronic disease means these daily, weekly and monthly healthcare costs continue for years.
Fortunately, the financial strain of COPD isn’t inevitable and you don’t have to rely on charity to get through the pricey challenges. There are ways you can help yourself manage your budget and your disease; find out where costs can be cut and who to reach out to for a bit of extra help when times are tough.
The High Costs of Living With COPD
There have been many studies on the immediate and continuing costs of living with COPD, and the results aren’t surprising. It’s no secret the cost of COPD can bring a lot of financial strain, and the more exacerbations you experience, the higher the price of COPD management.
Research groups in the United States and the United Kingdom have found the average COPD patient spends thousands of dollars each year between doctor consultations, emergency room visits, and hospital treatment for exacerbations. It’s difficult to eliminate all health care costs, given that a close doctor-patient relationship is crucial for COPD management, but good self-care could lower the costs significantly.
Everyday Money-Saving Tips
Keeping a healthy routine is an excellent start to reducing extra costs. But aside from a balanced wholesome diet, regular exercise and pulmonary rehab techniques, you can save some money by making smart medicine choices and using new resources.
Medication for COPD is pricey, but this is also where you’ll find some of the biggest opportunities to cut down on your expenses. You may not be able to stop taking your meds, but you can:
Go for Generic Drugs
When it comes to medication, lower cost doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality. In fact, generic drugs usually differ from their brand name counterparts only in branding and marketing. After all, any drug sold on the market must comply with FDA standards, which means they will be just as safe as the big name drugs, and equally effective.
Research All Your Options
There are many helpful tools at your disposal when it comes to comparing options and choosing a better solution. First, get acquainted with online comparison shopping; prices will differ from pharmacy to pharmacy, so check their websites first to decide where to buy your medication.
Another option is to simply do your shopping online. Several common stores have safe and comprehensive website marketplaces, where they entice potential customers with big savings for purchases made online.
If you can’t get by with store-based prescription programs alone, look to the pharmaceutical companies themselves, which have patient assistance programs to provide free or discounted medications to those who need them.
