Fight Rising Health Care Costs
If you take prescription medication on a regular basis, you’re in good company: 55% of Americans regularly take prescription medication—and on average, four different prescriptions every day.
But as prescription drug spending increases, it becomes more challenging for the Trust Fund to keep costs down for everyone.
You can take a stand against rising costs by asking for generics. Generic drug prices have declined while brand-name drug prices have nearly doubled in price in the past 10 years.
The average cost of a generic drug is 80%-85% less than the brand-name version. You’ll save with a lower copay and keep costs down for the Trust.
Brand-name drugs have a patent protection for 20 years, helping drug companies recover research and development costs. When the patent protection ends, the same drug often becomes available as a less-expensive generic drug.
If you take a brand-name drug, ask your pharmacist or doctor when it will be available as a generic. And keep asking, because patent protections expire all the time, like the ones in the list below.
Sources: Consumer Reports September 2017; Kaiser Family Foundation; FDA
| Brand Name (Generic Name) | What It Treats | 2018 Generic Release |
| Acanya (benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin phosphate) | acne | July |
| Ampyra (dalfampridine extended-release) | multiple sclerosis | July |
| Cialis (tadalafil) | erectile dysfunction | September |
| Enbrel (etanercept) | rheumatoid arthritis | April |
| Finacea (azelaic acid gel) | mild to moderate rosacea | November |
| Fortesta (testosterone gel) | testosterone hormonereplacement | November |
| Levitra (vardenafil) | erectile dysfunction | October |
| Lyrica (pregabalin) | diabetic nerve pain | December |
| Rapaflo (silodosin) | enlarged prostate symptoms | December |
| Sensipar (cinacalcet) | hyperparathyroidism | March |
| Treximet (sumatriptan/naproxen) | migraine | February |
| Vesicare(solifenacin succinate) | overactive bladder | October |
Source: medcitynews.com
Choose Healthy 