The cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. can be enough to make you sick.

What you pay varies enormously depending on the drug, the pharmacy, your insurance plan and your deductible, among many other factors. A drug that may have been cheap or at least affordable the last time you filled it could be far more expensive or not covered at all the next time.

Often, people have no idea what a prescription will cost until they get to the pharmacy counter, says Leigh Purvis , director of health care costs and access for AARP’s Public Policy Institute.

Still, finding a way to afford your meds is important. In my latest for the Associated Press, how to afford your meds and support your health.