The Price of Health: Meds, Money, and Staying Out of Danger

If managing your prescriptions feels like a second job—with more stress than payoff—you’re not having some sort of moonage daydream.

For nearly 8 million seniors – 14% of Medicare beneficiaries 65+ who say they skip taking or sometimes don't even fill their prescriptions because of the cost – staying healthy now means walking a daily tightrope between what the body needs and what their budget can swallow.

If you’ve recently typed “Help, I can’t afford my meds” into a search bar, you’re in crowded company. But here’s the problem: in today’s online marketplace, the line between help and harm is razor-thin. If you're not careful, in the end, some “solutions” can cost you far more than money.

The money squeeze is real – the good news, not-so-good news

Drug pricing is shifting. Congress recently passed a health funding bill that includes prescription cost reforms, and some big manufacturers are finally blinking. Johnson & Johnson, for example, has announced price cuts on several high-cost medications used to treat serious conditions.

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That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news? Those changes don’t always show up right away at the counter at CVS or Walgreens or any pharmacy. Even with Medicare’s new drug cap, a JAMA study found many seniors—especially those dealing with cancer or chronic illness—continue to send their billfold into a dither more than they can justify.

That gap is exactly what pushes people online looking for cheaper options.

Danger stranger

Search terms like “cheap drugs online” or “no prescription pharmacy” are magnets for scammers.

Not long ago, the DEA went full mongrel on more than 200 fake pharmacy websites tied to an international criminal operation. Like most scams these days, the sites looked legit with real U.S. addresses, real FDA logos, and we-wish-they-were-real deep discounts.

What they were shipping? Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl or methamphetamine – not the blood pressure, cholesterol, and other meds people were expecting.

The DEA didn't sit on its laurels, sending thousands of warning letters to seemingly unaware Americans who bought from these sites. In plain terms: people thought they were ordering heart meds or sleep aids—and got street drugs instead.

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Know this: you can save money on Rx

You do have safer options:

• Ask at the pharmacy counter. The old adage of "if you don't ask, you won't find out" continues to keep way too many consumers from saving money – money that companies are ready and willing to give them. Many stores have unadvertised discounts or senior pricing that only appears if you ask.
• Check state assistance programs. Many states offer prescription help that fills gaps Medicare doesn’t.

• Go straight to the manufacturer. On top of places like GoodRx, Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs, and NeedyMeds, Drugmakers often offer coupons or patient assistance programs—especially after recent price cuts.

If you buy online, verify everything

Stick to verified, licensed pharmacies only. The single best way to verify those is the NABP's Buy Safely tool that instantly checks if a website is accredited and safe. If the site isn’t verified, don’t click "buy".

And remember: if a website is willing to sell you prescription drugs without a prescription, it’s also willing to sell you something that could seriously hurt—or kill—you.

Stay smart. Stay safe.