The Lifestyle MD
The Lifestyle MD is a podcast for people navigating the complex, beautiful, and often overwhelming season of midlife and beyond. Hosted by Dr. Angela Andrews—a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Lifestyle Medicine—this show is for those ready to reclaim their energy, clarity, and strength without burning out or giving up what matters most.
Whether you're managing a busy career, caring for aging parents, raising children (or doing all three), this podcast will help you prioritize your health in a way that feels doable, not draining.
Join Dr. Angela—wife, mom, DPC physician, and former competitive bodybuilder—for honest conversations, root-cause insights, and practical strategies to support your physical and emotional well-being. Each episode helps you reconnect with your body, redefine success on your own terms, and build a lifestyle that honors both your goals and your values.
You don’t have to sacrifice your well-being to thrive in life or in your career. This podcast is your compass for finding strength, clarity, and balance in your next chapter.
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The Lifestyle MD
Soundbite Episode 006: How to Stop Overpaying for Prescriptions: Cash Pricing, Coupons, and Smarter Pharmacy Shopping
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How to Stop Overpaying for Prescriptions: Cash Pricing, Coupons, and Smarter Pharmacy Shopping
Dr. Angela explains why prescription costs can spike even with insurance, emphasizing that coverage depends on insurer formularies shaped by contracts among insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and manufacturers, which can change midyear and trigger denials, step therapy, and prior authorizations. She offers practical strategies to lower costs: start with manufacturer websites for brand-name drugs to find savings cards, copay assistance, or direct-to-consumer cash programs (not typically for Medicare/Medicaid); use generics when possible and compare transparent cash options like Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs and GoodRx; ask direct primary care practices about at-cost dispensing; price-shop across pharmacies and ask pharmacists for the best cash price; and request a 90-day supply when stable, noting stricter rules for controlled medications but potential cash-pay options.
For a list of websites for medication discounts, see the companion blog post: https://www.dpcwestmi.com/blog/why-your-medication-costs-so-much----and-7-ways-to-save-money-on-prescriptions
00:00 Stop Overpaying Intro
01:30 Why Insurance Denies
02:54 Prior Auth Chaos
03:45 Pricing Disclaimer
04:15 Manufacturer Savings
05:54 Generics And Cash
07:21 Direct Primary Care
07:47 Compare Pharmacy Prices
09:30 Ask For 90 Days
11:27 Final Checklist
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