Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Guide

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Guide

by Simplefill blog

The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program marks a major change in the way that prices are determined for certain medications commonly prescribed for Medicare enrollees. It was established by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. The program represents one of the most substantial changes to Medicare since its inception. 

Background of Medicare Price Negotiation 

Many think of Medicare only as the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older. But it also provides coverage for younger individuals with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and other qualifying disabilities. In 2024, approximately 65 million people enrolled in Medicare, roughly half of them in traditional Medicare and the other half in Medicare Advantage programs.

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) historically was not allowed to leverage the full buying power of its vast enrollee population to negotiate lower drug prices. Only private insurance companies administering Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D (prescription coverage) plans were allowed to negotiate prices. 

The push for Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies gained momentum as part of broader healthcare reform and cost-reduction efforts. 

Objectives of Medicare

The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program tackles three key goals head-on:

  1. Making prescription drugs more affordable for Medicare enrollees—Although Medicare has no income ceiling, many enrollees have low or fixed incomes. And even those living well above the poverty line can find it difficult to meet high out-of-pocket prescription costs. 
  2. Curbing Medicare’s ever-increasing spending on prescription medications—High prescription costs account for a large chunk of Medicare’s spending, contributing to concerns about the long-term sustainability of this essential insurance program. In 2021, Medicare accounted for 32% of all prescription spending in the United States. 
  3. Encouraging pharmaceutical companies to price their medications to reflect the value to patients—Pharmaceutical companies might face increased pressure to lower their prices across the board, not just for Medicare but also for other payers.

The Negotiation Process Between Drug Companies and Medicare

The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program was carefully designed to achieve the desired outcomes. Here are the steps in the process:

Step 1 Drug Selection: 

Each year, a specific number of high-cost, single-supplier drugs are targeted for negotiation based on such factors as:

  • the total cost to Medicare—both Part B (for drugs administered in a doctor’s office) and Medicare Part D (which covers prescription drugs taken by enrollees on their own)
  • a lack of price competition, because the drug treats a rare disease or one with few, if any, alternative treatments or when, after at least 11 years on the market, there are no available generics or biosimilars
  • the drug’s clinical effectiveness and safety, individually and in comparison to other drugs prescribed to treat the same condition
  • the drug’s patent status, taking into account whether it is still under patent protection and has been on the market long enough without competition for negotiation to be appropriate
  • the potential impact on Medicare enrollees in terms of decreased out-of-pocket costs and improved access to the prescription medications they need
  • the potential impact on public health of greater accessibility to drugs prescribed for the treatment of very common or life-threatening conditions  

Certain orphan drugs, plasma-derived products, and drugs that are a low-spend for Medicare are excluded from consideration. 

The first stage of selection results in an initial list of 50 negotiation-eligible drugs, ranked according to total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs. Two additional considerations may eliminate some of the drugs on that list:

  • The Small Biotech Exception—For the years 2026 through 2028, there is an exception for certain “small biotech” drugs for which the drug company has submitted an application for exception that has been approved by CMS. 
  • The Biosimilar Delay—The selection of a particular biological product can be delayed if there is a high likelihood that a biosimilar will enter the market within the next two years.

From the initial list of negotiation-eligible drugs, CMS will then select the drugs for price negotiation. 

Selecting the drugs to consider for negotiation is a complex and painstaking process. And for the manufacturers of the selected drugs, it’s not exactly optional, at least not without penalty. 

Step 2 Negotiation: 

Pharmaceutical companies that refuse to negotiate or fail to reach an agreement with Medicare may have to pay a sizeable financial penalty. Most choose to participate, particularly when they can see some reasonable basis for engaging in fruitful price negotiation discussions.

The negotiation process engages both drug companies and the public through:

  • The submission of data from drug companies
  • Meetings between CMS and each drug company to discuss the data submitted
  • A public patient-focused listening session for each drug selected for price negotiation
  • An initial offer from CMS to each drug company, presenting CMS’s proposed price and its justification
  • A drug company can accept CMS’s proposed price or submit a counteroffer

During the first round of price negotiations, CMS may invite each drug company to participate in up to three negotiation meetings before August 1, 2024. 

Negotiation is considered successful when Medicare and a particular pharmaceutical company arrive at agreement on a drug’s price—one that is a fair reflection of value and meets Medicare’s cost reduction objective.

Step 3 Implementation of Negotiated Prices: 

The new price arrived at through negotiation becomes the price that Medicare pays the pharmaceutical company for the drug moving forward, including reimbursements under Medicare Part D plans.

Initial Drugs Selected for Price Negotiation

The first round of negotiation, which took place between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023, resulted in new pricing for the following 10 medications, effective beginning in 2026:

  • Eliquis (for the prevention and treatment of blood clots)
  • Jardiance (for diabetes and heart failure)
  • Xarelto (for the prevention and treatment of blood clots and risk reduction for people with coronary or peripheral artery disease)
  • Januvia (for diabetes)
  • Farxiga (for diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease)
  • Entresto (for heart failure)
  • Enbrel (for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis)
  • Imbruvica (for blood cancers)
  • Stelara (for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis)
  • Fiasp, Fiasco FlexTouch, Fiasp PenFill, Novolog, Novolog FlexPen and Novolog PenFill (for diabetes)

According to CMS, these 10 drugs account for $50.5 billion (about 20%) of total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs during the time period June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023.

Moving Forward

The first round of drug price negotiation was for price applicability year 2026. The milestones and schedule will be announced in advance of the drug selection and price negotiation for price applicability year 2027 and each subsequent year. And future negotiations may target more than 10 prescription medications. 

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the Medicare drug price negotiation program will lower what Medicare pays for prescription drugs and reduce the budget deficit by $25 billion by 2031. 

Hundreds of Medications No Longer Covered by Insurance

Hundreds of Medications No Longer Covered by Insurance

by Simplefill blog

Simplefill connects Americans who are finding it difficult, even impossible, to pay for the prescription medications they depend on to manage chronic diseases with the programs and organizations offering such help. To learn more about prescription assistance programs and how Simplefill can help you get enrolled, read below and become a Simplefill member today. 

200 Medications Dropped by Insurance for 2021

Millions of Americans got an unwelcome surprise this year when they learned that the prescription medications they rely on to manage chronic medical conditions are no longer covered by their health insurance because they were dropped from their plan’s formulary. 

What is a Formulary?

Every insurance plan has its own formulary—a list of covered medications, both brand name and generic. A formulary typically is divided into three to five tiers that determine how much of the cost of the medications in each tier is covered by the insurance plan and how much the insured individual must pay. 

Tier 1 typically includes generic medications, which may be 100% covered and cost the insured nothing. The higher tiers are for brand name medications, which carry a co-pay or co-insurance requirement that increases by tier, with the most costly ones being in the top “premium” or “specialty” tier. (For those unfamiliar with the terms: coinsurance requires the insured to pay a certain percentage of a drug’s full cost, while a copay is a fixed amount the insured must pay per prescription.)

How Often Do Formularies Change?

Some insurance plans change their formularies annually, but that doesn’t mean there won’t also be mid-year changes, though formulary changes are not permitted during the annual election period, which begins in October. New medications may be added, and medications already listed may be moved to a different tier or dropped altogether. 

Insurance plans sometimes place restrictions on certain high-cost medications as a condition for adding them to their formulary or as an alternative to dropping them.  For example, the insurer may require prior authorization, which means that health care providers must provide additional information to substantiate the need for the medication. Or they may limit the amount prescribed at one time for one co-pay, or even recommend that a different, less costly medication be prescribed initially for a trial period to see if it’s an effective alternative.  Any of these changes can affect what you must pay to fill your prescriptions.

Why Do Formularies Drop Medications?

The decision to reduce or eliminate coverage for a particular prescription drug is not made casually. Typically, the decision is made by a group of health care professionals including physicians and pharmacists in conjunction with the plan’s Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). A number of factors can lead to a medication being moved to a different tier or dropped from a formulary, such as:

  • There is an equally effective but less costly medication.
  • A generic version of a brand-name medication has become available.
  • There are concerns about the effectiveness or safety of a medication.
  • A medication formerly available only by prescription is now being sold over-the-counter.
  • The medication is prescribed for some cosmetic purpose and is not medically necessary.

The Medications No Longer Covered

The formulary decisions made by the nation’s two largest PBMs–CVS Caremark and Express Scripts–affect what the majority of Americans pay for their prescriptions.  The following are the medications they dropped from their formularies in 2021.

 

What Can I Do If My Medication Was Removed?

You should receive a notification if a medication you take regularly is removed from your health plan’s formulary and is no longer covered. The worst case scenario is that you will have to pay its full retail price in the future. If your medication is still listed but has been moved to a higher tier, you will end up paying more for it than you were paying before that change. 

If your plan’s formulary does not include a comparable drug that your health care provider can prescribe without an adverse impact on your health, you can request that your health plan continue to cover your medication even though it is no longer listed on the formulary.  The prescribing physician will need to attest to the medical necessity of granting your request. Under the Affordable Care Act, there is an appeals process that may or may not produce the outcome you’re seeking.

You also might consider changing your health plan to one that includes your medication on its formulary. This may not be feasible for those insured by an employer-sponsored plan, but Medicare recipients have the option of switching plans between October 15 and December 7 each year—Medicare’s Annual Election Period (AEP). 

There are certain Medicare rules that apply when a medication is dropped from a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan within 90 days of a new member’s enrollment, as well as for members living in nursing homes or other institutional settings. In these circumstances, members are covered for a temporary supply of non-formulary medications while other options are considered, such as switching to a comparable formulary medication or requesting an exception that allows continued coverage of the dropped medication.

How Can I Save Money If My Medication Was Dropped?

Let’s assume that none of the strategies discussed to this point will enable you to get insurance coverage for a specific medication you need that has been dropped from your health plan’s formulary or moved to a higher tier. What other options do you have if you can’t afford to pay the medication’s full retail price or even a higher co-pay or coinsurance rate? You have a lot of company if you find yourself in that boat. 

Many patients’ finances are stretched to the breaking point by the medical expense and income implications of living with a chronic disease, such as:

Finding some financial relief may be essential to maintaining an uninterrupted supply of the medication(s) you rely on to manage your symptoms and slow or prevent disease progression. It can also ease the stress you and your entire household may be experiencing—stress that can have an adverse impact on your health. 

There are prescription discount cards that can take an average of about 30% off the retail cost of your medications. If you meet the income and other eligibility criteria, you may also be able to get prescription coverage through a government-sponsored insurance plan for the uninsured or underinsured, such as those that became available as a result of Medicaid expansion. And many people who are struggling to pay for non-formulary medications should qualify for prescription assistance from the manufacturers of those drugs.

Government-funded prescription coverage typically allows members to fill their prescriptions for only a nominal co-pay, and sometimes for no co-pay at all.  Continued membership in these government-funded plans requires a periodic requalification determination. 

Pharmaceutical companies that offer prescription assistance usually do so through a charitable foundation they’ve established for that specific purpose. If you qualify, you’ll most likely receive a supply of the medication you need at little or no cost for a specified period of time—usually six or twelve months, after which you’ll need to reapply and demonstrate an ongoing need for prescription assistance.

What Does Simplefill Provide?

Simplefill proudly bridges the gap between those who are in need of prescription assistance and the programs and organizations most likely to meet that need. Once you become a Simplefill member and engage with one of our patient advocates in a profiling interview, we’ll use the information you provide about your income, prescriptions, and insurance status to match your needs to the most appropriate prescription assistance options. 

Get started today, and before you know it, you’ll be paying little if anything for your non-formulary medications.

[Apply Now]

Here’s What You Need to Know About the 2020 Changes to Medicare Part D Coverage

Here’s What You Need to Know About the 2020 Changes to Medicare Part D Coverage

by Simplefill blog Medicare Medication Assistance

Medicare plans and health insurance coverage can be confusing. Below, we’ll provide you with a simple breakdown of what Medicare Part D is and what changes are in store for 2020 to help keep you updated.

What Does Medicare Part D Cover?

Medicare Part D is Medicare’s prescription drug coverage. It has its own list of drugs that are covered, which is called a formulary. Drugs are then placed in different tiers, which have different costs and coverages.

Medicare Part D Deductible Changes for 2020

In 2020, the Medicare Part D deductible will vary. In some plans, the deductible will go from $415 to $435. This means that you must pay $435 before Medicare begins to pay its share of the prescription cost.

Medicare Part D Initial Coverage Limit Changes for 2020

The Medicare Part D initial coverage went from $3,820 to $4,020 as of January 1, 2020. Once you and your prescription plan have hit $4,020 in 2020 for covered drugs, you’ve reached the Medicare “donut hole.” In the donut hole coverage gap, your prescription coverage is temporarily limited until you reach your out-of-pocket threshold.

Medicare “Donut Hole” Changes for 2020

In 2020, if your plan has a deductible, you’ll pay 25% of your drug costs (both generic and brand-name) while in the donut hole. If your plan is designed with a copay after the deductible but before the donut hole, what you’ll pay for prescriptions will change when you reach the donut hole.

Medicare Part D Out-of-Pocket Threshold Changes for 202o

In 2020, the out-of-pocket threshold will increase from $5,100 to $6,350. This is the amount of money you must pay to exit the Medicare “donut hole.” In other words, once you’ve paid $6,350 for prescriptions through your plan, you begin your catastrophic coverage benefit.

Medicare Part D Catastrophic Coverage Benefit Changes for 2020

In 2020, the minimum cost-sharing once you’ve met your out-of-pocket threshold of $6,350 Medicare will cover at least 95% of your prescription costs for the remainder of the year.

How Can Simplefill Help Those Who Can’t Afford Their Prescriptions?

Simplefill prescription assistance can often help people in the “donut hole” coverage gap, those who are uninsured, those whose copay is unaffordable, or people whose medication isn’t covered. If you’re having trouble affording your prescriptions for any reason at all, start an application online or call us at 1(877)386-0206. A Simplefill advocate will respond within 24 hours.

 

Baby Boomers Changing the Paradigms About Aging

Baby Boomers Changing the Paradigms About Aging

by Simplefill blog

Shared with us from our friends at Silvernest

Ask any Baby Boomer to reflect back to their childhood and their general perception of their grandparents when they were in their 60’s or 70’s. Most usually widen their eyes and exclaim, “old!” Images of a grumpy old man or wizened old woman come to mind. Many of today’s 65 year-olds look nothing like that. In a short thirty years, we have extended our lifespan, and opened up a third phase of adult life 50+ that is often filled with vibrancy, possibility and health. Yet, our society continues to perpetuate the notion that the “peak years” of life are around age 28. It’s all downhill from there. Really?

Ever heard of the word “ageism?” According to Ashton Applewhite, author of “This Chair Rocks, a Manifesto Against Ageism,” it is the last socially sanctioned prejudice, and a cultural narrative that impacts almost every aspect of life after 50. Have you ever felt compelled to lie about your age, or had someone compliment you and say, “You look great for your age?” That’s ageism.

In the past few months after the release of her book, Applewhite has been named “Influencer of the Year” by Next Avenue’s Influencers in Aging list, featured in the New York Times, appeared at the United Nations and is traveling around the country. She is the voice of a new movement, and on a mission to highlight the pervasive narrative that reinforces aging as something to fear, deny or dread.

She opens her book with the confession, “I’ve never lied about my age – I have no problem saying ‘I’m sixty-three’ loud and clear – but I know a lot of people who do. People who lie on resumes and on airplanes and on dates.”

Applewhite admits ageism is something it has taken years to fully recognize. “Any time we make an assumption about what any person is capable of, what they’re thinking about or doing on a basis of chronological age – that defines ageism,” she says. “Chronological age is a lousy indicator of pretty much anything abut a person, and all “isms” are based on stereotyping – especially because the longer we live, the more different from one another we become.”

The term “ageism” was first coined by Pulitzer prize winning physician Robert Butler, founder of the International Longevity Center, in 1968 – around the same time as the terms racism and sexism. “We experience ageism any time someone assumes that we’re “too old” for something – a task, a haircut, a relationship – instead of finding out who we are and what we’re capable of,” said Applewhite.

This Chair Rocks is a wonderful and fast read; full of powerful insights, and would make a fantastic book-club pick. Applewhite humorously breaks down pre-conceived notions about what it means to get older, and paves the way for trailblazing Boomer activism. Her zany style made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions, and nimbly poked to the inner core of what it means to get older in today’s society. In addition to the book, Applewhite has created a blog called, “Yo is this Ageist?” and a “conscious-raising” booklet to promote grassroots discussion called, “Who Me Ageist?”

“No one is born prejudiced, but attitudes about age – as well as race and gender – start to form in early childhood,” she writes. “Over a lifetime they harden into a set of truths: “just the way it is.” Unless we challenge ageist stereotypes – old people are incompetent. Wrinkles are ugly. It’s sad to be old – we feel shame and embarrassment instead of taking pride in the accomplishment of aging. That’s internalized ageism.”

SimpleFill Featured on The Balancing Act!

SimpleFill Featured on The Balancing Act!

by Simplefill blog

SimpleFill was recently featured on The Balancing Act, a popular talk show that focuses on bringing balance to our daily lives. The Balancing Act highlights ways that viewers can better manage day-to-day tasks that might otherwise be stressful or time-consuming. One such problem for many Americans is prescription fulfillment. At SimpleFill, we make it easy to research prescription assistance solutions, find the most affordable options and enroll our members into these programs so that you can be happy, healthy, and stress-free. Watch our feature on The Balancing Act, and learn more about the SimpleFill prescription assistance program. Continue reading →

The Benefits Of Routines for Seniors Facing Chronic Illness

The Benefits Of Routines for Seniors Facing Chronic Illness

by Simplefill Uncategorized

Living with a chronic illness is extremely challenging. However, there are some small steps you can take to make living with one a bit more manageable. Setting a routine for yourself is one of them.

When I make something a habit and stick to it daily, I notice I have much better days and feel happier and more productive. Turns out, science backs this up. In fact, having a routine can actually improve your mental and even physical health. Similarly, not having a routine can cause stress, low-quality sleep, anxiety, and poor eating.

Routine vs. Schedule

A routine is something you do every day, but it differs from a schedule in that you don’t have time constraints. For instance, if you take your medication before breakfast every day, that’s a routine. Routines can help you remember to do certain things each day as well as effectively manage your time and energy.

How Can a Routine Help My Chronic Illness?

There are two main ways a routine can help with the management of a chronic illness.

1. They Help You Recognize Your Needs

When you have a routine, you’ll know when it’s the best time to do certain things for your body.

For instance, if your chronic illness makes you feel tired by noon every day, take care of the most important things in the morning. This allows you to maximize your energy levels and be more productive by taking care of the most important things early in the day.

2. They Help You Stay Organized

Routines can help you keep all of your daily responsibilities in check, which in turn can help improve your mental health. Staying organized through routines can help create more relaxation and less anxiety in your life.

How to Incorporate Routines into Your Life

Here’s how you can incorporate a routine into your day that can help you with your condition.

Practice Daily Self Care

When you live with a chronic illness, your mental health can spiral downwards fast, which is why it’s important to include self care in your daily routine. Self-care doesn’t always have to come in the form of spa days and bubble baths though. Sometimes it means just giving yourself a little more credit, recognizing when you need a break, and listening to what your body needs.

So whether it’s reading, taking a walk, exercising, or watching your favorite show, find some time each day to give yourself a chance to reset.

Incorporate Routine Checkups

It’s also a good idea to incorporate routine checkups at least once a year with your primary care doctor. And the good news is that if you have Medicare, you get full coverage for an annual wellness visit  with your doctor.

Get Your Zzz’s On

Sleep is especially important when facing a chronic illness. Getting the right amount of sleep each night can have a huge effect on your mental well being. One study found that people with an active daytime routine have a healthier sleeping cycle than those with an active nighttime routine.

Having a sleep routine can make you more productive and can improve your mental health.

Make it a habit to go to bed around the same time every night and wake up around the same time each morning.

Also, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. The National Sleep Foundation shares that older adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep.

Find Specific Times to Eat and Take Medications

Make eating and taking your medications a routine. It’s a good idea for you to eat around the same time each day. You’ll know when your body needs the energy the most.

Similarly, taking your medication at the same time each day can help you remember to take them, and many medications should be taken with a meal.

When faced with a chronic illness, nothing is really certain; however, setting a routine can help you feel more powerful and authoritative over your life and inject some predictability into all that uncertainty. Take time to set routines for yourself and remind yourself that your illness is no longer in control — you are.

Author Bio: Christian Worstell is a health and wellness writer living in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Take it for Grant(ed): How Grants Can Help You Pay for Your Prescriptions

Take it for Grant(ed): How Grants Can Help You Pay for Your Prescriptions

by Simplefill Chronic Disease Series Prescription Assistance

According to the National Council on Aging, nearly 80% of Americans over the age of 65 have at least one chronic disease and more than 2/3 of all health care costs go toward treating these conditions. If you suffer from an ongoing ailment yourself, you already know how expensive it can be for continued treatment. Many people in these circumstances spend hundreds—if not thousands of dollars on specialty drugs each month. But if you can’t afford your medications for your illness, Simplefill’s grant services may be able to help.

What are Disease-Specific Grants?

Disease-specific grants are designed to  help insured patients with chronic diseases pay their co-pay on specialty drugs. Because the price tag on these specialty drugs can be so high, and because chronic diseases require indefinite treatment, many people find it hard to afford their prescriptions, even with insurance. These disease-specific grants can be used toward the co-pay, usually 20% of the total costs, while the patient’s insurance continues to pay for the remaining prescription costs. To be approved for grant funding, the patient must have insurance, but the income guidelines are higher than most assistance programs. Most grants also require that the patients co-pay is at least $50/month for eligibility.

Which Chronic Diseases Do Grants Cover?

Grants are “disease specific,” which means they cover several brand name and generic medications that are prescribed for a specific disease. There are several different foundations that offer grant funding. Simplefill works with all available foundations. The most common chronic diseases that we help Simplefill patients with through grant funding include but are not limited to Parkinson’s, Asthma/COPD, HIV/ AIDS, Prostate Cancer, Multiple Scleroses, Post-Menopausal Osteoporosis, Crohn and Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Colon / Colorectal Cancer, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Multiple Myeloma, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and plenty of others.

How Can Simplefill Help?

At Simplefill, we learn about your unique situation and tailor our extensive knowledge of prescription assistance programs to find you help paying for prescription drugs. You may be eligible for a grant if you have prescription insurance but still pay more than $100 a month for your medication. Here’s how it works. Once we learn about your unique circumstances, we apply for grants that will award a minimum of $1,600.00 towards a prescribed medication and a maximum of one year’s coverage for the requested medication. We collect a small fee for our services. Apply now to find out if you’re eligible for a grant.

Don’t have insurance? Just because you aren’t eligible for a grant doesn’t mean we won’t be able to help you afford your prescriptions. Our prescription assistance program may be able to help. Call us today at 1.877.386.0206 and we’ll discuss your options.

4 Healthy Skincare Habits For Aging

4 Healthy Skincare Habits For Aging

by Simplefill Uncategorized
4 Healthy Skincare Habits For Aging

Your skin is one of the telling signs of unavoidable aging, however, there’s plenty that you can
do to help yourself age healthily. These four skincare habits are easy changes to make to your
daily routine that will result in healthy, glowing skin for the years to come.

Have a skincare routine:

At any age and for any gender, it’s important to incorporate skincare into your daily routine.
Simply start with a gentle facial cleanser, follow up with a moisturizer and finish with an eye
cream, you can get different products for day and night but that’s not necessary. Skincare
doesn’t have to be complex but there are a few anti-aging ingredients to keep in mind when
you’re looking for new products. Retinol, Vitamin C, Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid can all help
prevent wrinkles and keep the skin youthful looking, so these are the ingredients you want to
see in your skincare products to help with signs of aging.

Watch your shaving technique:

Taking care while shaving your body is extremely important for aging skin, especially in the face
when skin tends to be more soft and sensitive. To avoid premature aging caused by poor
shaving technique, keep these tips in mind:

● Always start with fresh and clean shaving tools
● Lather up with warm water and shaving cream
● Shave with the grain to avoid ingrown hairs and nicks
● Finish with a post-shave product
Because a bad shaving process can cause nicks and scarring, it’s important to shave carefully
all over the body.

Use UV protection:

UV protection is so helpful when it comes to your skin staying young-looking. UV protection
applies to your whole body like your skin, eyes, and head. Your hands and neck are actually two
places that seem to age the fastest, so be sure to lather up on an SPF 30-50 every single day,
no matter how sunny it is. You can add a facial SPF to your skincare routine but don’t skip your
neck, chest, and hands.
For additional UV protection look into UV blocking clothes. You can find all types of clothing,
including hats, that will keep you shaded from the sun.

Take your prescriptions:

If you suffer from any skin conditions, such as psoriasis or any related to illnesses like kidney or
liver disease, then be sure to stay on top of your prescriptions. This may be a pill or a cream,

but whatever your doctor or dermatologist is prescribing you, it’s important to take regularly. If
you have trouble with taking your medication, here are some tips to be better with this habit and
to ensure your skin stays healthy!

How Simplefill Can Help With High Generic Prescription Drug Prices

How Simplefill Can Help With High Generic Prescription Drug Prices

by Simplefill Help My Meds Prescription Assistance Program

For many people, buying generic products is a great way to save money. That’s why people buy grocery store branded butter and knockoff shoes. But even though many people still think of generic drugs as cheaper prescription alternatives, the healthcare industry has seen a recent trend of generic drugs becoming increasingly expensive.

What is a Generic Drug?

A generic prescription drug is a medication designed to be the same as an already marketed brand-name prescription in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use. In other words, a generic drug should work in the same way, with the same proven clinical benefits as its brand-name version. In terms of their popularity, generic drugs constitute nearly nine out of every 10 prescriptions filled in the U.S.

Why Generic Prescription Drug Prices Are Rising

The rise in drug prices for generic prescriptions can’t be traced to one specific cause, especially since the prices are not necessarily inflated across all generic prescriptions. Here are two of the main factors that contribute to rising generic prescription drug prices.

Industry Consolidation

While numerous factors can cause price increases, consolidations within the generic-drug industry play a large role. In 2015, for example, the world’s largest generic-drug company acquired the third-largest manufacturer. These consolidations decrease market competition and prevent natural price regulation. In other words, when only one drug company is making a specific type of prescription drug, there’s no incentive to keep the price as low as possible since customers have no other options.

Supply Shortages

One reason for inflated generic prescription drug prices is drug shortages. If, for example, a generic drug has a safety-related drug recall and FDA inspections to clear, the decrease in production can lead to inflated drug prices. The same goes for any manufacturing slow-downs that prevent a drug from being quickly made.

How Simplefill Can Help People Who Can’t Afford Their Generic Prescriptions

Whether you’re trying to figure out how to pay for your prescriptions without insurance or you can no longer afford the rising costs of your generic prescriptions with insurance, Simplefill Prescription Assistance can help. We understand how complicated the healthcare system is to navigate, which is why we do everything we can to simplify the process. In fact, in addition to learning about your specific medical and financial situation, we also complete all the research and paperwork in order to find the best possible option for you. Whether it’s finding alternative funding programs, working with pharmacies that offer the best discounts, or researching brand name medications with assistance availability, Simplefill does whatever we can to help you afford your medications. Give Simplefill a call today or  start an application online!

Managing Diabetes with Insulin: What You Need to Know

Managing Diabetes with Insulin: What You Need to Know

by Simplefill Diabetes / Insulin Assistance

Whether you were recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes or need to begin taking insulin for Type 2 diabetes, the idea of managing diabetes with insulin injections can be scary. Here’s what you need to know about using insulin, including information about the different discounted insulins available through Simplefill’s prescription assistance program.

Insulin Delivery Methods

While most diabetics use a needle and syringe, other methods of insulin delivery are becoming increasingly popular. Insulin pens, for example, contain a cartridge, a dial to measure dosage, and a disposable needle. Insulin pens are more accurate to use, and many people find them simpler and more convenient as well. Insulin pumps, while more expensive, are connected to your body through a catheter. They deliver slow-acting insulin to regulate blood sugar between meals and bolus doses after eating. Many companies already provide oral diabetes medications for people not dependent on insulin, and oral insulin is just around the corner.

The Importance of a Healthy Diet

No diabetes management strategy is complete without a plan for healthy eating. In addition to eating healthy carbohydrates, good fats, fiber-rich, heart-healthy foods, it’s also important for people with diabetes to eat three meals a day at the same time of day. Talk to your doctor about how an improved diet can help manage your diabetes.

How to Take Insulin

While you should go over insulin instructions more thoroughly with your doctor, this helpful guide covers some insulin basics for people using needles and syringes and can serve as a great resource for anyone new to managing diabetes with insulin.

Store Your Insulin Properly

Storage is the first step to an effective insulin injection. Because every brand is different, you’ll want to check the storage instructions on your prescription, but there are some good general rules to follow. Insulin you’re currently using can be stored at room temperature. Avoid storing insulin in the bathroom or in direct sunlight, as this can cause the insulin to overheat, making it less effective. Insulin you aren’t currently using should be stored in the refrigerator.

Check Expiration Dates

Each bottle of insulin will have its own general expiration date and length of longevity after opening. We recommend writing the date on a bottle when you open it, so you can be sure you know when to stop using.

Use Alcohol Wipes

Before your insulin injection, be sure to clean the area you plan to inject with alcohol and wait until it dries before injecting. If you’re using a vial or syringe, doctors also recommend cleaning both rubber stoppers with alcohol.

Choose Your Injection Site Carefully

While you’ll want to discuss injection sites with your diabetes care team, it’s generally best to inject in fatty areas of your abdomen, outer thighs, and arms. You’ll also want to regularly rotate injection sites to prevent hard lumps or fatty deposits from developing. This can be done by injecting two inches away from the most recent injection site in that area and by changing injection regions every week.

Don’t Remove Needle Too Quickly

In order to make sure you get the full dosage of insulin, make sure you hold the needle in your skin for 5-7 seconds.

Don’t Reuse Needles or Syringes

Never reuse needles or syringes, as doing so can lead to infections at the injection site.

How to Pay for Insulin

Because prices continue to soar and so many people can’t afford insulin, Simplefill is doing everything we can to help people pay for their diabetes medications. In fact, the team at Simplefill assists thousands of diabetics in affording their insulin each month. Simplefill has prescription assistance programs available for several diabetic medications, including insulins like Humalog, Novolog, Lantus, Levemir, Apidra, Toujeo, and Tresiba. If you can’t afford your medication, give us a call or fill out our online application to find out if you qualify for prescription assistance. In the meantime, check out our blog, where we cover everything from how to pay for prescriptions without insurance to the 2019 changes to Medicare Part D.