Are you paying too much to fill your prescriptions? Is your co-pay too high? There are some alternatives and tricks to getting better rates on your medications that insurance companies, and sometimes even your pharmacy, don’t want you to know (or are legally not able to disclose).
Here are a few tricks to make sure you get the best rate* on your prescriptions:
TIP # 1: Discuss with your physician whether generic medications, if available, would be appropriate for you.
Generic formulas tend to be less expensive than their brand name counterparts and may be just as beneficial.
TIP # 2: Ask the pharmacist whether the cash price for your medication is cheaper than your copay price.
We believe that drug benefit plans pay the largest portion of prescription costs and that copays are the most practical way to pay for prescriptions. That, however, is not always the case. Pharmacies are restricted by law from disclosing the cash price for a medication that may actually be less expensive than your copay. If you specifically ask for the cash price, they are allowed to tell you. It is worth asking. It just might be cheaper to pay for the medication without going through your insurance.
TIP # 3: Look into getting a discount card.
You may have seen commercials for companies such as GoodRx that offer discounts cards, coupons, or apps that allow you to check pharmacy prices and get the best deal in your area. There are a number of companies offering this service now. Here is a partial list for your convenience:
The Kaplan Center has available to you GoodRx and SingleCare cards available in the office. If interested, please ask and we will gladly provide them to you.
If you feel like you’re being taken advantage of by our healthcare system, the best thing that you can do is talk to your physician and your pharmacist and ask questions. We encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, and neighbors. Let’s help everyone get the best and cheapest medications possible.
By Nash Nortey
Medical Assistant Supervisor
*While it may get you a better price, keep in mind that when you pay by cash or use a discount card for prescriptions, your purchases will not be applied towards a deductible. If you have a high deductible and numerous medical expenses, it may make more financial sense to pay with your insurance.
Often hard to describe and even harder to treat, fatigue can be one of the most debilitating medical conditions that patients deal with. Defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation, fatigue can be physical, mental or both. Studies show that about 20% of Americans suffer from fatigue. Yet despite its common occurrence, the standard treatment options remain fairly limited.
What Causes Fatigue?
Fatigue does not necessarily have a single cause. In many cases, it might be a combination of one or more factors. Common causes of fatigue include:
During your visit our doctors will sit down with you and take a thorough history. We will ask you about the fatigue, about its effect on your day to day life, your past medical history and other core elements of your overall health.
Our approach to diagnostics is what makes us different – we will work with you to find the root causes of your symptoms. Using this information, we’ll then tailor a treatment plan that’s just for you.
How to Treat Fatigue
Whether it’s due to physical, emotional or psychological factors, the best treatment plan is one that looks at the whole individual. It considers every part of your wellbeing.
At Kaplan Center we take an integrative approach to medicine. Apart from the physical, we look at the emotional, mental and spiritual elements of health when considering treatment options. We pride ourselves on getting to know our patients and understanding what their concerns are.
Treatment Options for Fatigue
Treatment options will be based on the discussion you have with your doctor. It will also take into account possible test results and your own personal preferences. We may suggest treatments including:
Our goal is to work with you to create a personalized treatment plan. The plan may involve one or more of the elements listed above or include other treatment modalities. We spend time explaining all treatment options and work with you to design a plan that meets your needs.
Our team will guide you through the treatment process and make sure that you’re getting the best out of our integrative approach.
PRP is a non-surgical treatment process in which doctors inject a patient’s own plasma into different parts of the body to promote healing and growth. Platelet-rich plasma is blood plasma with concentrated platelets. These concentrated platelets contain vital growth factors that initiate tissue repair and regeneration.
PRP for Hair Loss
Androgenic Alopecia, the most common type of female and male pattern baldness, affects over 50 million men and over 30 million women in the United States. Despite how common it is, it can be an extremely difficult situation to come to terms with. For most people, hair loss is an emotional battle that diminishes confidence, causes embarrassment, insecurity, and feelings of depression.
Studies show that PRP can slow down and even reverse hair loss and thinning hair. PRP delivers highly concentrated platelets that contain growth factors and cytokines directly to areas of the scalp with thinning hair. In return, inactive or resting follicles are stimulated to regrow healthier and thicker hair.
If you are suffering from hair loss and have tried other treatments and would like to speak to Dr. Lilienfield about PRP treatments to get thicker and fuller hair, please contact us at 703-532-4892 to schedule your appointment.
3 Tips on Lowering Prescription Costs
/in Lifestyle, Wellness/by Kaplan CenterAre you paying too much to fill your prescriptions? Is your co-pay too high? There are some alternatives and tricks to getting better rates on your medications that insurance companies, and sometimes even your pharmacy, don’t want you to know (or are legally not able to disclose).
Here are a few tricks to make sure you get the best rate* on your prescriptions:
TIP # 1: Discuss with your physician whether generic medications, if available, would be appropriate for you.
Generic formulas tend to be less expensive than their brand name counterparts and may be just as beneficial.
TIP # 2: Ask the pharmacist whether the cash price for your medication is cheaper than your copay price.
We believe that drug benefit plans pay the largest portion of prescription costs and that copays are the most practical way to pay for prescriptions. That, however, is not always the case. Pharmacies are restricted by law from disclosing the cash price for a medication that may actually be less expensive than your copay. If you specifically ask for the cash price, they are allowed to tell you. It is worth asking. It just might be cheaper to pay for the medication without going through your insurance.
TIP # 3: Look into getting a discount card.
You may have seen commercials for companies such as GoodRx that offer discounts cards, coupons, or apps that allow you to check pharmacy prices and get the best deal in your area. There are a number of companies offering this service now. Here is a partial list for your convenience:
GoodRx
SingleCare
HelpRX
ScriptSave WellRx
RXsaver by Retailmenot
The Kaplan Center has available to you GoodRx and SingleCare cards available in the office. If interested, please ask and we will gladly provide them to you.
If you feel like you’re being taken advantage of by our healthcare system, the best thing that you can do is talk to your physician and your pharmacist and ask questions. We encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, and neighbors. Let’s help everyone get the best and cheapest medications possible.
By Nash Nortey
Medical Assistant Supervisor
*While it may get you a better price, keep in mind that when you pay by cash or use a discount card for prescriptions, your purchases will not be applied towards a deductible. If you have a high deductible and numerous medical expenses, it may make more financial sense to pay with your insurance.
Fatigue: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment Options
/in Conditions/by Kaplan CenterOften hard to describe and even harder to treat, fatigue can be one of the most debilitating medical conditions that patients deal with. Defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation, fatigue can be physical, mental or both. Studies show that about 20% of Americans suffer from fatigue. Yet despite its common occurrence, the standard treatment options remain fairly limited.
What Causes Fatigue?
Fatigue does not necessarily have a single cause. In many cases, it might be a combination of one or more factors. Common causes of fatigue include:
Diagnosing Fatigue
During your visit our doctors will sit down with you and take a thorough history. We will ask you about the fatigue, about its effect on your day to day life, your past medical history and other core elements of your overall health.
Our approach to diagnostics is what makes us different – we will work with you to find the root causes of your symptoms. Using this information, we’ll then tailor a treatment plan that’s just for you.
How to Treat Fatigue
Whether it’s due to physical, emotional or psychological factors, the best treatment plan is one that looks at the whole individual. It considers every part of your wellbeing.
At Kaplan Center we take an integrative approach to medicine. Apart from the physical, we look at the emotional, mental and spiritual elements of health when considering treatment options. We pride ourselves on getting to know our patients and understanding what their concerns are.
Treatment Options for Fatigue
Treatment options will be based on the discussion you have with your doctor. It will also take into account possible test results and your own personal preferences. We may suggest treatments including:
Our goal is to work with you to create a personalized treatment plan. The plan may involve one or more of the elements listed above or include other treatment modalities. We spend time explaining all treatment options and work with you to design a plan that meets your needs.
Our team will guide you through the treatment process and make sure that you’re getting the best out of our integrative approach.
References
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/fatigue/article_em.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/fatigue/basics/causes/sym-20050894
PRP Hair Restoration Now Offered at the Kaplan Center
/in Treatments/by Kaplan CenterPlatelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy is the most exciting new advancement in the treatment of hair loss for men and women.
PRP has been used for years to treat patients with painful orthopedic injuries and musculoskeletal conditions with great success. But PRP is not just for treating pain.
We are very excited to announce that Dr. Lisa Lilienfield will now be offering PRP Therapy to treat male and female pattern baldness at The Kaplan Center!
What is PRP?
PRP is a non-surgical treatment process in which doctors inject a patient’s own plasma into different parts of the body to promote healing and growth. Platelet-rich plasma is blood plasma with concentrated platelets. These concentrated platelets contain vital growth factors that initiate tissue repair and regeneration.
PRP for Hair Loss
Androgenic Alopecia, the most common type of female and male pattern baldness, affects over 50 million men and over 30 million women in the United States. Despite how common it is, it can be an extremely difficult situation to come to terms with. For most people, hair loss is an emotional battle that diminishes confidence, causes embarrassment, insecurity, and feelings of depression.
Studies show that PRP can slow down and even reverse hair loss and thinning hair. PRP delivers highly concentrated platelets that contain growth factors and cytokines directly to areas of the scalp with thinning hair. In return, inactive or resting follicles are stimulated to regrow healthier and thicker hair.
If you are suffering from hair loss and have tried other treatments and would like to speak to Dr. Lilienfield about PRP treatments to get thicker and fuller hair, please contact us at 703-532-4892 to schedule your appointment.
Click here for more information on PRP for Hair Restoration.