Increased Brand-Name Prescription Copays go into effect July 1, 2009.  

We recently mailed you a summary of changes that were made to your Welfare Fund provided health benefits. You may have noticed that, as part of those changes, the prescription copays for brand-name (non-generic) drugs increased effective July 1. The copays for Tiers 1 & 2 are up $10 per month, and Tier 3 is up $5.

There are 2 strategies that you should consider to keep down your prescription expenses. First, ask your doctor whether there is a generic equivalent for any brand-name medications you are taking. Very often the only difference between a name-brand drug and the generic equivalent is the huge difference in cost. A brand-name drug may cost you $420 a year in copays (Tier 3), while the generic equivalent would only cost $60. That’s a $360 savings for 1 prescription over the course of a year!

Another strategy is to participate in CIGNA’s Tel-Drug Home Delivery Pharmacy program. If we again look at that brand name drug that cost $420 a year in copays using a traditional schlep-to-the-drugstore-every-month refill, the equivalent Tel-Drug copay annual total would be $280. That’s a $140 savings for 1 annual prescription! (If you would like to participate in the Tel-Drug program, please visit MyCIGNA.com and follow the online instructions, or call (800)285-4812.)

So even with the increases in non-generic copays, you could potentially be spending less this year by using generic equivalents and taking advantage of the convenient Tel-Drug program. For a small investment in effort, you could reap some very significant savings.