Have you ever considered splitting your prescription medications to make them last longer? Many people are looking for ways to control their health care costs, especially since the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that spending on prescription drugs in the United States rises more than 10 percent a year.
Pill splitting is now being recognized as a legitimate way for patients to get the medications they need while saving money. This practice helped the Veterans Administration save almost $50 million in 2003 on prescription drugs. But it is not for everyone or every medication and patients need to know a few basics before they even consider pill splitting as an option.
Pill splitting works because drugmakers make a handful of popular medicines available in a choice of strengths for the same price. Currently, 16 medications have been approved for splitting, including Lipitor (used to lower cholesterol), Zoloft (an antidepressant) and Valtrex (an anti-viral).
With a doctor’s OK, a patient can order his or her medication at twice the needed strength and cut each pill in half. The patient receives half as many pills in each refill but pays half the usual...