Clinical transplantation
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Clinical transplantation · Jun 2005
Medicare-approved drug discount cards and renal transplant patients: how much can these cards reduce prescription costs?
Post-transplant prescription medications are expensive, often costing over 12,000 dollars annually. Many solid-organ transplant patients have Medicare coverage and patients enrolled in Medicare-approved drug discount card (MADDC) programs may be able to receive prescription medications at a reduced price. However, many transplant healthcare practitioners are unaware of the utility of MADDCs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether enrolling renal transplant patients (RTPs) into a MADDC produces significant savings in prescription costs. ⋯ MADDCs, when selected and used appropriately, can reduce prescription medication cost for RTPs. Card selection is of great importance as discount rates vary greatly among cards, and only under restricted circumstances is a patient allowed to switch to another card. It is imperative that practitioners are aware of these programs and utilize cost-effective prescribing practices.