Prescription options to save $$?

[frannn]

DH just retired from NYPD...prescription costs went from a small copay to having to pay 25% with an annual limit, which is a big difference for the meds he/we are on. What are our options until he finds a new job? My job does not offer script insurance. I saw Walmart has some meds at 4/ month, but not sure if there are any additional hidden costs. Are there any other options to bring the cost down?

 

[CatPenguin]

I don’t have prescription coverage right now and have had good luck reducing the cost with a prescription savings program called goodrx. It is a free coupon program online that allows you to see the discounted price by searching for pharmacies in your area. I like that it shows the price at each specific pharmacy since pricing varies greatly and inconsistently. It might not be better than your current 25% out of pocket depending on the med, but I would recommend checking anyways. At least it can give you an idea of who has the best prices near you.

 

[Mamabun]

Might be worth your while to go to the goodrx website and enter your medications (doesn't require any personal info) and see what prices are at different locations in your area (grocery store may be a good deal cheaper than your drug store, etc.). Also if it's on the Walmart $3.88 list it will show up there when you search for it.

 

[barkley]

see if any of the individual scrips offer discounts (look on their websites), is mail order an option (usually like a 3 month supply for cost of 1), call around and price compare-costco (i don't think you have to have a membership to use them for scrips) vs walmart vs riteaid... explain to the doctor and see if they can UP the number of pills so that 1 months supply is actually 2 months (either through pill splitting or prescribing twice the amount needed for a month).

 

[afan]

Also ask your pharmacy if they price match, if they do then you don't need to change pharmacies to get the better price. Goodrx and with the price match is all on paying out of pocket and not with your insurance. I actually found out about goodrx from my pharmacy the one month I was without insurance when transitioning from paying my own to my work insurance. They were able to price match it to what I pulled up on my phone.

When you mention the annual limit, is it the amount they will cover or is it what you have to pay until they will fully cover the medication. It's important to know the difference, especially if you have high dollar medication. It wouldn't make sense since the year is almost over, but if paying the 25% will get you to a point they cover all of it it may be better to do that if you have high dollar meds, unless you expect he'll have a job with different insurance before that.

I would also see if all of the medications are generics and if there is a generic you can take, generally the $4 rx you see at Walmart is from generics a lot of people use so they can get the volume discount.

 

[wendow]

If you have a Costco membership, that could be a good option. The goodrx coupon has not been as good as the Costco price for us (better if you are members than nonmembers). My dd18 has chronic Lyme disease and is on quite a few meds. Costco has been a huge blessing!

 

[2goofycampers]

Sam's Club has some low cost and a few free prescriptions.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/paged...cy-health-beauty_pharmacy_free-4-10-drug-list

 

[starry_solo]

Sam's Club and Costco (at least here in CA) don't require membership in order to utilize their pharmacy. A pharmacist friend told me it's because they accept Medi-Cal (federal equivalent is Medicaid) to pay for prescriptions and, because they do that, these stores cannot require a membership to get those prescriptions.

 

[SharonZ]

It depends on the medications. You have gotten some great recommendations to research on your own.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Costco is a great place to save on RX. Always make sure to get the generic bands too. And ask for a 3 months supply.

 

[Lewisc]

You don't have to be a member to purchase prescriptions at COSTCO.

 

[Huff]

Couple ways we save $'s.

#1, For meds with fixed packaging have the Dr write Rx such that 1 package is not enough for a 1 month supply. For instance, I use an inhaler which has 200 dosages. The Dr writes Rx for 2 doses 4X a day or 240 per month. Insurance pays for 2 inhalers for 1 deductible.

#2, Mail order which often provides 3 months for 1 or 2 times the monthly deductible.

 

[Huff]

You don't have to be a member to purchase prescriptions at COSTCO.

How? Normally can't walk inside a Costco without a membership card. Then when purchasing you must show your card. I have heard its possible to make purchases with a 5% added fee for non-members but am not sure how that is done.

 

[Lewisc]

How? Normally can't walk inside a Costco without a membership card. Then when purchasing you must show your card. I have heard its possible to make purchases with a 5% added fee for non-members but am not sure how that is done.

Tell the employee at the door you're just going to pharmacy. This only applies to prescriptions. you need to be a member to purchase OTC items like aspirin and vitamins

 

[seasheller]

It is amazing how much prices can vary even between Sam's Club and Walmart. Check each store. Usually a three month supply is cheaper than one month so the doctor has to write the prescription that way. AAA has a discount drug plan - including meds for pets. My husband gets some meds from the VA and some from Walmart because Walmart runs $10 for a three month supply while the VA is $15 for three months. One of his meds would have been free at the pharmacy in a grocery store in Florida, but $130 at Sam's Club. Searching everywhere can be well worth the time.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Agree with the recommendations for AAA and for Costco. Also check AARP for their Rx program. CVS Caremark mail order can be significantly less expensive, especially for 3 month supplies.

 

[RamblingMad]

Costco plus drug company coupon programs is what I’m doing now. I enroll in any programs I can find. They’re usually better than my insurance.

 

[MomToOne]

Depends on the prescription. Any chance your income now is low enough to qualify for assistance from the drug companies?

Be sure to research to see if a generic is available but your doc has you on name brand, and request a change if so. I am on 1 pretty common drug that was nearly $400/month (Costco was actually more expensive than some other pharmacies in this case) until just a month or two ago, when a generic finally came to market. Now the generic is "just" $135/month. It's an asthma drug that I needed to contact my doctor to get a new prescription for before I could get the generic because it had a different method of delivery than my old prescription did so it wasn't eligible to be switched to the generic automatically. But the doctor happily switched me because the underlying drug was the same and the different delivery method was no big deal.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Also check online with the pharmaceutical companies for coupon and rebate cards. I have one med that costs over $1000/mo. without insurance, $139 with insurance, and $10 with the pharm. co. coupon. Guess which one I picked?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oct 2018 thread...