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Helping the Unemployed Save Money and Protect Their Health
MD's Three Tips for Medical Needs on a Budget
New York, NY- The recent economic numbers are bleak. In March, the number of unemployed people in the United States climbed to 13.2 million. The number of people forced to work part time for "economic reasons" rose by 423,000 to 9 million. Those are people who would like to work full time but whose hours were cut back or who were unable to find full-time work.
In addition to losing income, many, if not most, can lose their health insurance, which puts them at much higher risk for death. It has been estimated that 22,000 Americans died in 2006 because they lacked health insurance.
Helping people get the drugs they need at prices they can afford has been a goal of Dr. Michael Cecil's, author of Drugs for Less: The Complete Guide to Free and Discounted Prescription Drugs.
Here are three of Dr. Cecil's tips for staying healthy on a tight budget:
• Search for Free Meds: Search www.needymeds.org and www.pparx.org to see if you can get your medications for free from a patient assistance program. NeedyMeds also lists coupons available for discounts, thousands of free clinics, and many other resources.
• Buy One. Get One Free: Many, but not all drugs are suitable for being split into two parts. Since many medications cost the same amount whether they are 20mg, 40mg, or 80mg tablets, asking the doctor to write for a higher dose and then splitting it in two pieces gives the effect of buying one and getting one free. For more information, read Dr Cecil's chapter online at http://www.drmichael.com/.
• Take this, not that: Many drugs have low cost substitutions that may be suitable for you. For example, Crestor and Lipitor are powerful cholesterol lowering medications, but a month's supply might cost over $100. Generic Simvastatin (Zocor) is less potent but a 6 month supply is available at www.rxoutreach.com for $45 (less than $8.00 per month). A 90 day supply of generic Pravastatin (Pravachol) is available for $10 at www.walmart.com.
About the author: Dr. Michael Cecil is a cardiologist with six medical boards, who has spent years researching methods of helping patients afford their health care. He chaired a session at the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting on Strategies for Providing High Quality of Care to Patients Who Have Limited Financial Resources: The Uninsured and Underinsured. He has appeared on NPR and Fox News and has also been featured in Money Magazine, First for Women, and The Los Angeles Times, among other newspapers and magazines.
Dr. Cecil is a sincere, enlightening and informative guest. Schedule an interview today and have Dr. Cecil help your audience understand how to protect their health and save money.
Tags: Three Tips for Medical Needs, health insurance,The Complete Guide to Free and Discounted Prescription Drugs
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