Spend less on Medicine

Whether it’s tough times or not – why would you spend more money than needed on medicine? Here some reminders on how to save money when it comes to medicine.

Choose the generic vs the brand-name / originator drug
Generics are copies of branded drugs. They can be prescription or non-prescription drugs, chronic, or acute medicine. The South African Medicine Control Council (MCC) requires that generic drugs have the same high quality, strength, purity and stability as brand-name drugs. They also perform post-registration testing to ensure quality, safety and efficacy over the entire shelf-life period of the product. The MCC inspects the manufacturing and packaging facilities of generic companies for compliance to international standards. This means that generics sold in South Africa will comply with good manufacturing practices.

Sometimes the generic looks slightly different to the branded drug. But the biggest difference is the price. Generic drugs can be produced at lower prices as they have not incurred the development costs of the originator drug. Once a patent for an originator drug expires, other manufacturers are allowed to produce the copy of the drug. In some cases it is even the same manufacturer producing the originator drug and its generic.

Choose a Scheme preferred pharmacy (Standard Care Plan and Managed Care Plan)
To find a pharmacy near you that will not charge any additional fees, call us on 0860 222 633 or locate a pharmacy on our Scheme website. Scheme preferred pharmacies have been contracted to charge at the Scheme Reimbursement Rate.
Value Care Plan members receive their medicine directly from their network providers. 

We will SMS you to let you know about less expensive alternatives
Keep your and your dependants cell phone numbers up to date with the Scheme.
If you are at the pharmacy and the pharmacist enters a brand / originator drug on your membership number, we will SMS you and let you know if there is a cheaper alternative available. So keep an eye on your phone before you pay.
Make sure that you advise the Scheme on all your dependants’ cellphone numbers as we need to keep information relevant to the individual confidential and can only send a message directly to that person.