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Help Keep Health Care Cost Down: DC 37 Members Pledge Card

Generic prescription drugs are as safe and effective as their brand-name counterparts because they contain identical active ingredients and are approved by the FDA. Generics can help lower healthcare costs significantly compared to brand drugs, with co-pays usually $5 for generics versus $35 for brands. The FDA's Office of Generic Drugs assures that only safe, effective, high-quality generic drugs are approved.

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88 views

Help Keep Health Care Cost Down: DC 37 Members Pledge Card

Generic prescription drugs are as safe and effective as their brand-name counterparts because they contain identical active ingredients and are approved by the FDA. Generics can help lower healthcare costs significantly compared to brand drugs, with co-pays usually $5 for generics versus $35 for brands. The FDA's Office of Generic Drugs assures that only safe, effective, high-quality generic drugs are approved.

Uploaded by

olimazi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Help Keep health care cost down

Generic prescription drugs are proven to be as safe and effective as more


costly brand-name drugs. Generics produce the same effects in the body as
their brand-name counterparts because both contain the identical active
ingredients and are approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
I want to help contain health care costs by requesting a generic
prescription drug when available and appropriate.

DC 37 MEMBERS PLEDGE CARD


Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to
see if generic drugs are right for you.

How do you know that generic drugs are safe and effective?
The Office of Generic Drugs, part of the federal Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research is dedicated to assuring that only safe, effective, high-quality, and
equivalent generic products are approved for use by consumers and health care professionals.

The American public can be confident that when a generic drug product is approved, it has met
the rigorous standards established by the FDA with respect to identity, strength, quality, purity and
potency.

Excerpted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site welcome letter at www.fda.gov
HELP SAVE YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT PLAN BY USING GENERICS
(All drug costs listed are averaged among many retail pharmacies. Shop around to find the pharmacy near you offering the lowest drug cost).

Common Illnesses/Diseases Brand Drug Drug Cost Co-pay Generic Drug Drug Cost Co-pay
High Blood Pressure, Diovan $192 $35 Valsartan $30.00 $5
Cardiovascular Disease, Cozaar $364 $35 Losartan Potassium $25.50 $5
Blood Thinners Coumadin $48 $35 Warforin Sodium $8.10 $5
Plavix $232 $35 Clopidogrel Bisulfate $7.50 $5

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Singulair $198 $35 Montelukast $30.00 $5


Bronchitis & Emphysema

High Cholesterol Lipitor* $221 $35 Atorvastatin Calcium $5.70 $0


Zocor* $217 $35 Simvastatin $7.80 $0
Pravachol* $177 $35 Pravastatin Sodium $17.50 $0
Crestor * $251 $35 look for generic in 5/2016 $- $-

Osteoarthritis Cymbalta $261 $35 Duloxetine HCL $34.50 $5


Celebrex $277 $35 Celecoxib $75.00 $5

Acid Reflux (GERD)** Prilosec ***OTC $ $ Omeprazole $7.50 $5


Nexium ***OTC $ $ Esomeprazole Magnesium $115.00 $5
Prevacid***OTC $ $ Lansoprazole $25.50 $5

Pain Relief Endocet $148 $35 Oxycodone Acetaminophen $36.00 $5


Vicodin $260 $35 Acetaminophen Hydrocodone $188.00 $5

Bacterial Infections Cipro tablet $253 $35 Ciprofloxacin $18.60 $5

Sleep Disorders/Insomnia Ambien $432 $35 Zolpidem Tartrate $2.30 $5


Xanax $97 $35 Alprazolam $1.50 $5

Antipsychotic Abilify $717 $35 Aripiprazole $55.00 $5

Depression/Anxiety Zoloft $226 $35 Sertraline HCL $11.70 $5

*If you wish to obtain a brand statin, you will be required to pay the $35.00 co-pay, plus the current ancillary charge of up to $145 (the current difference between the ingredient cost of the brand and
generic statin) for a total payment of up to $180.00.
**All covered acid reflux drugs have a 90-day life time limit. That 90-day limit may only be lifted if required medical documentation is provided to the Plan.
***Absent documented medical necessity, these drugs are not covered as they are available as over-the-counter drugs at your local pharmacy.
Note: To check for generics of any brand drug covered by the Plan, after registering on the Optum website: www.OptumRx.com , click on “formulary”, go to search “drug name” where you will
enter the brand drug name, then click on “browse formulary” by “generic”. If the brand drug has a generic it will appear on the screen.

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