Critics say they may actually drive up the cost of health care in the long run, because the drugs being promoted are the most expensive brand-name medications.

While the generics have been selling products at reduced prices, many large pharmaceutical companies are raising prices on brand-name medications.

Also, some brand-name preventive medications can be costly.

Generic drugs have the same active ingredients, safety and effectiveness as brand-name medications, but are they really just as good?

People using the cards also got significant savings, in percentage terms, on generic drugs, which are chemically equivalent to brand-name medications.

They said Medicare should give pharmacists a financial incentive to dispense low-cost generic drugs rather than brand-name medications.

Answer: Levothroid is a brand-name medication and levothyroxine is the generic counterpart.

The new benefit would cover only generic drugs unless the doctor said a brand-name medication was required.

That said, it is not at all rare for patients who switch to a generic from a brand-name medication to experience a difference.

Most of us have been asked if we want a generic alternative to our brand-name medication.