Unfortunately, we live in a world where the medicines we need to live better, healthier lives are not always readily available at a reasonable cost. Why live like those silly folks in Scotland, where medicine is free, right? Silly Scots.
Sometimes it feels like we have to sell our homes to get our hands on the medicine we need. Additionally, tariffs may increase the costs of prescription drugs for some people, depending on their insurance coverage. Seeking more affordable alternatives or ways to reduce your healthcare costs? Here are seven hacks to help save money on prescription drugs.
Cost Plus Drugs
Mark Cuban may be a lot of things, but he is one thing for sure: the creator of a company designed to help us afford the medications we need. Cost Plus Drugs can offer tremendous savings on prescription drugs, like $20 generics for Zytiga that would typically cost over $1,000. Hopefully, this is the way of the future.
GoodRx
While GoodRx isn’t a provider of prescriptions itself, it helps you save money on prescriptions in a variety of ways. For starters, it’ll compare thousands of pharmacies across the country to find you the best deals, in addition to providing coupons to help reduce the cost even further. The best part here is that you don’t need insurance to use the platform. GoodRx also offers a paid “Gold” membership, which offers additional benefits including enhanced savings on prescriptions, discounts for telehealth visits, free home delivery for certain medications, and a family plan for up to five additional people.
Manufacturer Copay Cards
One thing you’ll definitely want to do is check your eligibility for a manufacturer copay card. Almost like a coupon and a credit card combined, one of these things can score you major discounts on certain medications, and in some cases, they can cover the entire cost.
To determine if you are eligible for a manufacturer copay card, please contact your specific drug manufacturer directly. According to Medical News Today, these cards are usually only available to people with private health insurance.
Patient Assistant Programs
Patient Assistant Programs, or PAPs as they are commonly referred to, are another way to help save money on prescription drugs you may not be able to afford. Offered by pharmaceutical companies, nonprofits, government programs, and more, they can land you free and discounted medicine, help with copay bills, and even provide temporary coverage when you don’t have any. Every program is different, so check with your doctor, pharmacist, or healthcare provider.
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider
Sometimes, your doctor or healthcare provider may have a more affordable option for you, something you wouldn’t have known about otherwise. According to California Health Advocates, your doctor probably has a few ways to save money on your prescriptions in mind already. Whether it’s switching to generic medications or providing free prescription samples, there are more than a few ways your doctor can be helpful.
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Costco
You’ll find lots of discounts at Costco’s pharmacy on generic prescriptions. The best part? You don’t even need to be a Costco member to use the pharmacy.
Walmart
Walmart calls its discounted prescription program the “$4 List,” but that’s a bit of a misnomer. While some prescriptions are available for $4, others cost more. Really, it’s “starting at $4,” but even so, that’s impressive. And while things may go up in price from there, you’re still looking at discounted generics in a big way.
Mail-Order Pharmacies
Mail-order pharmacies don’t have a physical location, but ship prescriptions to you. In some cases, mail-order pharmacies offer certain medications at a discounted cost. To check for pharmacies, you can try platforms like PharmacyChecker, Express Scripts, and CVS Caremark.
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BuzzRx
Similar to GoodRx, BuzzRx is designed to help you track down the best prices from online pharmacies. One distinction is that BuzzRx offers a more singular service of price slashing, and often does so better than GoodRx. However, it doesn’t offer as many additional tools as GoodRx, such as an enhanced paid membership.
Local Pharmacy Discounts
Ask your local pharmacy if they offer any discounts. That happens sometimes, and your local pharmacist might be willing to help.
Amazon Prime Rx
There’s no shortage of the biggest corporations getting in on discounted prescriptions, which means Amazon is on board. You can compare prices on prescriptions with your Prime account (and then buy them, of course), so type in the medicine you need and search away.
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