With SALTA’s on-site dispensing of prescription medications, we’re saving time, money, and travel costs for our members.
Post by Daniel Seidman, DO MPH
As many of us have experienced, prescription drug costs are simply out of control. I personally experience sticker shock each time I get a generic antibiotic for my kids – and get charged $30 for what I know costs pennies to produce.
This is what led me to develop and build out our in-house dispensing. In Michigan, healthcare providers can purchase non-controlled medications wholesale and sell them directly to their patients. After I saw the wholesale costs of some of these medications, I jumped at the opportunity to offer this to our members.
We started with stocking about 25 medications we deemed of “high value”. These medications were sometimes very cheap, but were always at least 50-75% cheaper than what people generally pay at their local pharmacy or with GoodRx. Our big success story so far has been saving several patients between 96-98% on a single prescription drug.
With insurance, our local big-box pharmacies change about $900 for a one-month supply of medications. We had one patient purchasing the medication for that amount, and two others traveling to Ohio and Canada to purchase it for approximately $300.
We offer a one-month supply to our patients for $8.24. The savings seen in one month could pay for nearly one year of their SALTA membership! This is what keeps me motivated – doing right by people while helping them put their well-earned dollars back in their pockets.
If you’re an individual or employer looking for a better healthcare experience, while reducing healthcare costs at the same time, please visit us at saltadirect.com to learn more.
Dr. Daniel Seidman is the Senior Medical Director at SALTA Direct Primary Care, Michigan’s largest membership-based primary care solution for individuals and employers.