When buying prescription medications, people often look for new ways to save money. After all, the price of prescription drugs keeps fluctuating. Although generic drugs are not costly, you might have to purchase a brand name medication as your doctor prescribes.
If you don’t have medical insurance, you end up spending more money. For many people, it’s a challenge to afford copays and deductibles, even with insurance. This is where discount cards for prescription drugs come into play.
According to a recent survey on National Health and Nutrition, approximately 46 percent of people use prescription drugs every month. Most of these drugs are to treat chronic medical conditions and short-time ailments.
With many people using prescription drugs, the rising cost of drugs has become a key concern. The latest JAMA journal article found a 60 percent increase in prescription medications’ listed prices between 2008 and 2018.
Affordability is a significant issue. As a result, many people are unable to take their prescribed medications. A recent KFE health tracking poll shows that one-fourth (1/4) of people find it hard to afford prescriptions, and 12 percent take only half doses. That is why they search for better money-saving ways on prescription medications.
Luckily, resources and pharmacy discounts like GoodRx can help you make the right call. In this regard, the guide includes details on the manufacturer’s saving cards to save money on the drugs you need.
Best Resources to Save Money on Prescriptions
- GoodRx
GoodRx is a popular free-of-cost program offering people numerous means to save money on prescription drugs. The program mainly facilitates people who are 18 years old and USA residents. Participants can also add children to the guardian and parent’s account. The program provides coverage for all FDA-approved medications, including generic and brand –name. It can also help people get discounts on some pet medications.
If you’re a Medicare D beneficiary, you can receive specific guidance from GoodRx to make educated decisions on saving money on your prescriptions. Using the program is very simple as you can use GoodRx’s mobile application and site to search the medication by name. All you need is to explore the drugs with lower rates in your local town.
The app shows you a discount coupon that you can present at the pharmacy to get the lowest rates. GoodRx allows you to use these discount coupons in nearly 70,000 local pharmacies. It is worth mentioning that medical coupons sometimes offer larger discounts compared to cards. You can obtain an 80 percent off discount on the medications from the market prices.
Opting for premium service such as GoodRx Gold from the company is an excellent way to access the lowest discounts. It doesn’t cost you more than $6 per month for buying it for yourself and $10 per month for your family (six members).
GoodRx is one of the reliable options as it has accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. Its A+ rating and verification from the National Association of Board of Pharmacy also add to its credibility.
- SingleCare
SingleCare is another free of charge program that residents of the US can opt for. Although it encourages adults older than 18 years to open and operate their own accounts, people can include their kids in their family accounts.
Like GoodRx, this program has active online portals and mobile applications to help you search for discount deals in the local area. You can buy or use the coupons at pharmacies that are part of SingleCare’s network. You may also use a discount card at various drugstores.
SingleCare has broader coverage for prescription medication. The network includes more than 35000 pharmacies in the country and can help you save up to 80 percent of market prices. However, you can only get a discount on certain pet medications, particularly those with the same human formula.
The Bonus Saving Program from SingleCare makes it unique. It allows you to earn on your future prescriptions if you sign up for Bonus Savings. It offers $5 to people who enroll in Bonus Savings.
SingleCare plays a vital role in saving money on prescriptions. The program has an A+ rating and accreditation of the Better Business Bureau.
- Blink Health
Blink Health is a free service for US citizens and is smart to avail the best-discounted rates. Like other services, you can search for coupons and discount rates on its mobile app and website and save up to 80 percent of the retail price. Although you may get an affordable discount range on Blink Health, it has fewer drugs than other programs.
The program primarily limits itself to only 15,000 prescribed medicines, but its free home delivery from 35,000 pharmacies sets it apart from other services. Blink Health pharmacy makes all payments online, so your doctor must transfer your prescription electronically.
Taking online consultation with Blink Health physicians is the best idea if you don’t have a prescription. You can get online consultations for cold sores, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, and birth control.
Blink Health also has Better Business Bureau accreditation and a higher rating.
- Optum Perks
Formerly known as LLC, Optum Perks includes prescription discount cards that offer discounts at more than 50,000 pharmacies in the US. Its partnership with OptumRx (pharmacy benefits) has resulted in better discount rates for participants.
The latest survey shows that consumers have saved $1.7 billion on medications using discount cards of Optum Perks since the company has started.
With more than 62000 pharmacies in the network, Optum Perks offers discounted rates to over 18.6 million individuals throughout the US. There is a large chain of pharmacies that accepts Optum Perk.
There is no need to sign up or enroll in discount programs to obtain lower prescription rates using this service. You can avail the best-discounted rates just by showing your card or coupon you found online. You can also text or send the card to your pharmacist via email and receive a discount.
- ScriptSave WellRx
ScriptSave WellRx is a money-saving program for people in the US, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Doing a simple search on ScriptSave’s website helps you find the best-discounted prices for drugs in its network of 60,000 plus pharmacies nationwide.
Choose a pharmacy in your local area and show your discount card to obtain the lowest rates. This is one of the services that offer discounts as high as 80 percent on pet medications. You can text or email your discount cards to use them.
ScriptSave WellRx is a company with the Better Business Bureau accreditation and A+ rating.
Tips to Use Manufacturers Saving or Discount Cards for Prescription Medication
If you have never used saving cards or discount coupons, they can be confusing. Below are some tips that can help you get the right deals.
- Ask Your Doctor about an Alternative to Prescribed Drug
It is as simple as it sounds. For instance, if your doctor prescribes you Crestor for Cholesterol, you can ask for an alternative to the drug.
In several cases, people switch the drug to atorvastatin (Lipitor), which is a more affordable option. Crestor may cost up to $170 for your month’s supply with a discount coupon. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) whereas costs just $9.
Remember that every case is different, so it is essential to advise your health professional before switching it with other medications.
- Determine Your Copay
You can only find out your copay if your pharmacy processes your drug prescription via your insurance company. The rule is the same for prices applied after discounts and coupons. It would be best if you had some patience after dropping the prescription off to determine the cost and issues that require quick solutions.
o Know the Deal
While some manufacturer coupons need pre-activation before your use them, many require you to have medical insurance. Some companies use the health information of the people to send promotional materials to them.
So you must know what you’re getting in the deal. If you already have health insurance, your employer may have to cover the cost rather than the discount prescription programs.
- Choose the Best Discount Coupons
Finally, choosing the best coupon is the most important thing to maximize the benefits of a money-saving discount. Know that different programs offer different discount coupons. GoodRx, for example, collects a variety of discount coupons and shows you the ones with the best discount for your drug prescription.
The company updates its prices regularly. That means you must check back the latest changes when refilling for the same discount prescription program. It will help you see if your chosen coupon is the right option for your prescription.
Summing Up
In conclusion, the resources offer significant discounts on your prescriptions and can help you afford expensive drugs. Make sure you find out all the details about discount coupons before signing up for them. Thus, the article includes some of the most trusted and renowned options for getting savings cards.
Disclaimer: The Content is not meant to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek your physician’s advice or other qualified health providers with any questions regarding a medical condition.
