Managing medications together
If your loved one has complicated health issues, they may be taking several drugs. Helping them with their medications can be stressful, from making sure they use them as directed to watching for side effects. And you may also be assisting with paying for their prescriptions.
These tips can help your loved one take their medications safely and reduce their costs.
Keep a list of all of their medications, including the dosage.
On this list, include prescription medications, vitamins, supplements, and any other over-the-counter medications they may be taking. Be sure to take this list to any doctors’ appointments. Some doctors may even ask you to bring in the pill bottles.
If your loved one needs to see their prescription claims history, they can view that by logging in to myBCBSRI.
Review medications with a nurse or pharmacist.
Their doctor may not have time to sit down and go through all of their medications in detail. However, your loved one can talk with a BCBSRI Care Manager who can:
- Explain how their medications work.
- Check for problems such as side effects, interactions, and incorrect doses.
- Suggest ways to lower medication costs.
This service is available at no extra cost through their BCBSRI plan.* They can talk with a Care Manager on the phone, over video1, or at a Your Blue StoreSM location. Ligue para 1-844-563-0892 (TTY/TTD: 711) ou e-mail care@bcbsri.org.
You may also be able to meet with a nurse or pharmacist at no cost through your loved one’s primary care practice if they belong to a patient-centered medical home. You can call the practice to ask.
Get the convenience (and savings) of mail order.
With many BCBSRI plans, your loved one may save money by having their prescriptions delivered. If they have a BCBSRI Medicare Advantage plan, they’ll pay $0 for a 90-supply of many generic drugs when using Preferred Mail Order.2 Mail order also helps you reduce trips to the pharmacy.
They can learn more by calling BCBSRI Customer Service.
Find out if a lower cost drug is available.
If your loved one is on an expensive medication, they may want to ask if a generic or lower cost brand name drug would work.
To save money, make sure your loved one is getting their prescriptions at a pharmacy in their BCBSRI plan’s network. Some plans, such as BCBSRI Medicare Advantage plans, have preferred pharmacies that offer additional savings. Find a pharmacy.
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1Video visits with a Care Manager are available to BCBSRI members whose plan includes Doctors Online. O Doctors Online é um serviço de telemedicina fornecido pela American Well®, uma empresa independente que administra o Doctors Online em nome da BCBSRI.
2Pague um copagamento de 0 $ por um fornecimento de 90 dias de muitos medicamentos genéricos nos níveis 1 e 2. A sua poupança real depende dos medicamentos que toma. Ligue para a nossa equipa de concierge do Medicare através do número (401) 277-2958 ou 1-800-267-0439 (TTY: 711) para obter mais informações sobre as opções de encomenda por correio. Disponível em todos os planos, exceto BlueCHiP for Medicare Core.