Sometimes the prescriptions we need are flat-out expensive. The good news is there are prescription discount programs and coupons available for some medications.
How do prescription discount programs work? These discounts can’t be combined with your benefit plan’s coverage, so make sure to check the price against the cost of using your insurance’s prescription drug benefit. Something else to consider: If you choose to use a discount card and are therefore not tapping into your insurance’s prescription drug benefit, the cash amount you pay for the prescription may not count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum under the benefit plan.
GoodRX is a web- and app-based platform that allows you to search for prescription drug coupons and compare pharmacy prices. The company claims a savings of up to 80% on generics. Optum Perks also provides coupons for medications and a searchable database for drug cost comparison at participating pharmacies near you. The Optum Perks member card, which can be used at more than 64,000 pharmacies, is free to use and requires no personal data.
Another discount option is the Amazon Prime RX Savings discount card, which is included with an Amazon Prime membership and is administered by InsideRX. It provides discounts of up to 80% for generics and up to 40% for brand-name medication at participating pharmacies.
Cost Plus Drug Company is a web-based pharmacy that claims to keep costs low by buying directly from the manufacturer. It currently only offers a certain selection of medications and accepts a handful of prescription insurance providers, but it may be worth checking the price difference between Cost Plus and your regular pharmacy.
