Public Employee Press

DC 37 Health and Security News
Use generic drugs to save money

Over the long term, the DC 37 Health and Security Plan is concerned that its generic-based drug benefit is being undermined every time members fill prescriptions with brand-name drugs instead of equivalent generic drugs.

Many well-known brand drugs such as Lipitor, Plavix, Diovan and Singulair have, or soon will have, equally effective and far less costly generic equivalents.

With some of these generics, you may only have to pay a $5 or lower co-pay instead of the $35 co-pay for the brand drug.

Many members don't understand that the co-pay covers only a small portion of the cost of a drug. The union plan pays most of the cost of each drug you buy. The cost to the plan can be hundreds of dollars for a 30-day supply of a brand drug, while a generic drug may cost the plan $30 or less.

As PEP reported in April, the plan sued brand drug makers for issuing coupons to consumers to lower their costs for brand drugs. While individuals may benefit today from using the coupons, in the long term using coupons to get brand drugs puts pressure on the plan to diminish coverage, adopt more restrictions and increase all members' co-pays.

So, try to be a smart consumer: Resist the sales pitch of the profit-seeking drug firms when they try to entice you with coupons and manipulative ads for expensive brand-name drugs. And don't be worried about trying a generic drug, because the risks and benefits of both are the same.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, generics are the same as brand-name drugs in safety, strength and quality. They have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, and they work the same way. Before generics can go on the market, they must pass a rigorous approval process.

The FDA has the same production standards for generics and brand-name drugs; in fact, generics are often produced in the same factories as brand-name counterparts.

It's definitely worth asking your physician if a generic is right for you.