I understand it’s tough to ask the question “Why?” to your child’s doctor when the she makes a treatment or testing decision. But if you are going to be an active and informed partner in your child’s health care you need to know when to pose that question. I am not suggesting you question every decision the doctor makes, but sometimes it’s appropriate. Here are a few hints as to when you may want to question the doctor. What will happen if I don’t give my child the medicine? This is usually a good question to ask if the […]
Helpful Online Resources II
This week we are taking another look at online resources that the staff at NeedyMeds think our readers will find helpful. These are some great organizations doing great work, and we think they deserve to be highlighted. If you missed the first installment you can read it here. Men’s Health Network – The Men’s Health Network is a non-profit organization with the goal of educating men on their health risks – and what they can do to live a longer healthier life. Their website has lots of information. Their blog, “Talking about men’s health,” is updated almost daily with […]
Unregulated Drugs a Hazard to Poor and Elderly Patients
As children grow up, they learn an important lesson: when you are sick, taking medicine usually helps you feel better in a reasonably short time. That acquired knowledge has helped generations of kids suck down foul-tasting cough medicine and other remedies. In fact, “taking your medicine” has become cultural shorthand for doing something that may be unpleasant in the short run, but benefits one over the long term. This is certainly aided by the fact the United States has one of the safest drug supplies in the world; when you take a medication in America, you can count on it […]
Demystifying the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card
Have you heard about the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card? If you haven’t tried it yet, this free card can be your key to significant savings on prescription medications. Thousands of patients have already saved over $340 million on prescriptions across the US. Whether you’re uninsured, facing high co-pays, or need help with non-covered meds, the NeedyMeds card is designed to help you save up to 80% at over 63,000 pharmacies nationwide, including all major chains. How the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card Works The NeedyMeds card is available to everyone—no income limits, no age restrictions, no registration, and no personal information […]
A Bitter Pill to Swallow: Many Americans Can’t Afford Their Medicine
For the first time in decades, Americans are actually spending less on their medication That’s according to a recent study by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics which found the total spending on medicines fell 3.5 percent last year –from $329.2 billion in 2011 to $325.8 billion in 2012. The study attributes much of it to an encouraging trend: the declining use of brand-name drugs and the greater availability of less expensive generics. But it’s not all good news. The study’s authors say that the decrease spending on medications was driven also by consumers cutting back on health care overall – […]