How to Save Money on Prescriptions- Pill Splitting

Some real life examples of how to get the best price for your medicines by pill splitting AND comparison shopping:

Consider Lipitor, a dose of 10 mg per day:
If you purchase 30 tabs from Walmart each month, at $100 per month x 12 months = $1200 spent for a 12-month supply. However, if you purchase 30 tabs from Walmart of the Lipitor 20 mg tablets every OTHER month (because 30 tabs will last you 60 days if you are splitting them in two), you will spend $143 x 6 months= $858 over the course of the year. That is a savings of $342/year. HOWEVER, take this one step further and find the lowest available price on Lipitor 20 mg tablets- according to LesliesList that happens to be at Target right now- at $98 for 30 tabs- and your savings become even greater, since $98 x 6 months= $564 spent per year. Compared to the $1200 per year- this saves you a grand total of $636.

Next, let's look at Lexapro, a dose of 10 mg per day:
If you purchase 30 tabs per month from Osco at $110 per month you will spend $1320 per year. However, if you go to the least expensive pharmacy (in this case by using your Savings Card from Walgreens- that can be purchased for $20 per year) you can buy 20 mg tabs, #30 for $92 per month, But remember, you only need purchase them every OTHER month because these tabs will last twice as long. Thus your total expenditure for the year would be $92 x 6= $552. Thus saving you a total of $1320- $552= $768 per year.

Other examples:
Sertaline (generic Zoloft) 50 mg pills at Osco x 12 months= $35 x 12= $420/year vs Sertraline (generic Zoloft) 100 mg pill at Kmart x 6 months= $5 x 6= $30/year$420- $30= $390 per year savings
Amlodipine (generic Norvasc) 5 mg pills at CVS x 12 months= $40 x 12= $480/year vs Amlodipine (generic Norvasc) 10 mg pills at Kmart x 6 months= $5 x 6= $30/year$480 - $30= $450/year

Please note that you can NOT split a pill that is time-released, specially coated or in capsule form. Please ask your pharmacist about whether your medicines are safe for pill-splitting. You will also need to ask your doctor if he or she thinks this is an appropriate option for you.