Depending on where they get their prescriptions filled, your loved one may be able to get a popular heart medication for free.

This summer, a few grocery store-based pharmacies announced that they would begin filling prescriptions for Atorvastatin, the generic form of the cholesterol-lowering drug, Lipitor, for free.

Northeastern grocery chain, Wegmans, has said that its pharmacies will honor both new and refill prescriptions for Atorvastatin for free through April of next year (2013). Meijer, a retailer with stores throughout the northern mid-west, has also signed on to offer the drug at no cost to those who have a prescription and pick up the drug in person.

The cost of prescription medications can add up for older adults, many of whom take upwards of five different drugs every day.

Though they are infrequent, deals such as free generics can be beneficial for seniors, especially if they fall into the Medicare Part D drug coverage gap—also known as the "donut hole." A recent Harvard Medical School study found that elders in the donut hole were 57 percent more likely to stop taking their heart medications.


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One of the best ways to save on a senior's medications is to go generic whenever possible.

Ask your loved one's doctor if it's safe to switch any of their brand name medications to generic. Kroger, Walmart, Target and Wegmans, are just a few of the stores that offer hundreds of generic drugs (including common treatments for diabetes, glaucoma, blood pressure and arthritis) for as low as $4 for a month's supply.