OOps, sorry about that other post.
Polly,
I buy many of my mother's drugs in Canada. I started last year and could kick myself that I didn't do it sooner. She's now saving close $5,000 CASH out-of-pocket this year. That ain't chump change.
It's a very easy process. You can sign up online or by phone, mail or fax. They need basic information, a list of medications, a copy of the RX, and sometimes a copy of picture ID. There is NO NEED to EVER give out a SSN# or insurance (Medicare/AARP, whatever) because it has no relevance for these transactions.
The most time consuming part is finding the right company that has the drugs you (or your friend) needs. But that can easily be done online. Any doctor (licensed in the US) can write the RX - you don't have to be near the border. My mother is in FL. I currently use 3 different Canadian pharmacies because they work for us with the drugs she needs.
The drugs don't necessarily come from Canada, they may contract out with other pharmacies all over the world. I've gotten packages from the UK, Germany, India, and the last batch came from New Zealand. Most came within 3 weeks of ordering. Note they all have about a $10 shipping fee (per order).
Want to hear about the cost savings? Un-freaking-believable. My mother takes over 15 different medications but the most expensive are related to her dementia. Namenda, Aricept and Aggrenox (stroke prevention). There are no available generics in the US. Brand name only.
Here's the comparison - the US costs represent Humana's approx negotiated rate for their Medicare Part D members for a 90-day supply of these brand drugs bought at a CVS or via Right Source mail order:
Namenda - US $505 OnlineCanada: $116 Aricept - US $610 OnlineCanada: $75(for Generic) Aggrenox - US $450 OnlineCanada: $93
That's a savings on just these 3 drugs of almost $1,300/quarter. And note that most times the drugs come in blister packs and it's in amounts of 100 instead of 90. So you're getting an extra 10 days included in that lower price.
The Aggrenox is particulary galling. In the US it comes in a separate box for each month. The ones I've gotten from the UK/Germany are in the exact same box, same bottle, SAME FREAKING pill, except it's all printed with name ASASATIN instead of Aggrenox. The other medications come in blister packs.
We can all thank big Pharma for keeping all these generics out of the US. And for lobbying hard enough so Medicare CANNOT negotiate prices. How freaking insane is that??
A couple of words of caution. On refills (which just require an easy phone call) it's possible the drug can come from a different country, and therefore might look different. Depending on the cognitive capabilities of the patient, that could be confusing - if he/she is used to a round pill and now it's oval, white and now it's yellow. You get the picture.
Just recently I called to reorder the Aggrenox. The price was higher at one company, so I called the other one. They had the higher price but I asked them if they had a promotion or lower price. 2 seconds later, I had it for the lower price. So it pays to call around.
And someone mentioned up above, many companies do offer aid, but I've heard from others that in the last year or two the paperwork is so overwhelming that I can see where some seniors might just give up if they're not up to the task. They don't make is easy to apply, despite all their blabbering to the contrary.
If you want to email me the drugs your friend is looking for, I can look around and give you some suggestions for which companies might be best for her based on the drugs she needs. I also wrote up this 2 page "how to" for the neurologist to give out to other patients to maybe help them save some bucks. Which, btw, I'm sure she never did because doctors HATE to have these conversations.
With all that, your friend needs to keep in mind she's already paying for an Rx plan here in the US. You didn't clarify if that's a Medicare PartD plan. Whichever it is, she should try to exhaust those benefits first (she's already paid for them) before she uses the Canadian ones. And, a final note, drugs bought outside the country cannot be included when calculating your medical tax deduction on your federal taxes.
I feel for your friend. But there is help out there. Email me if you want more info.
-Michele in NYC