Skyrocketing Drug Prices? How to Make Your Prescriptions More Affordable
We’re living in a time when 1 in 4 people in Virginia can’t afford their prescriptions. Many people with chronic health conditions are skipping doses, rationing their meds, or even going without. This puts their health and well-being at risk, often leading to worse— and more expensive— health outcomes.
Prescription drug prices are skyrocketing. The news coverage keeps mounting: Consumer Reports, the TODAY Show, and local segments on NBC and PBS News Weekend have all called out this crisis of affordability. Even Hollywood has taken note of this grim reality. Hit series “The Pitt” ran multiple storylines in its second season about medication access: In episode 4, a construction worker with severe diabetes rationed his meds and ended up in the hospital; Episode 13 featured a mom who lost Medicaid coverage and struggled to get her teenager the asthma medications he needed.
The high cost of prescription drugs affects everyone and includes people with and without health insurance coverage. The good news? There are programs and resources that can help with finding lower-cost or even free medications.
How Rx Partnership Helps
Rx Partnership is dedicated to increasing access to medication for vulnerable people in Virginia and strengthening the health safety net. We collaborate with a network of free and charitable clinics to distribute free brand and generic medications to patients who don’t have insurance, regardless of their ability to pay.
Through our work to secure medications and streamline delivery, Rx Partnership can cut the cost of medications for our partner clinics up to 80%. This frees up their resources so they can hire more staff and offer more services to Virginia’s underserved populations. Last year, Rx Partnership helped fill over 62,000 prescriptions for people without insurance, serving more than 11,000 patients.
Resources for Affordable Prescriptions
While Rx Partnership focuses our direct efforts on helping the most vulnerable – uninsured patients with limited income – we also like to share resources that can help everyone, regardless of their insurance coverage. Even if you have health insurance, medications can still be difficult to afford. Below are a few good resources to look into— if you have others, please suggest them in the comments!
Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company
This online pharmacy, owned by entrepreneur investor Mark Cuban and co-founder Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, aims to provide affordable prescription drugs by selling them directly to consumers with low markups using a transparent pricing model. Customers can save up to 80% on their prescription drug costs, according to the website.
The company sells generic drugs at manufacturer cost plus a fixed 15% markup, a dispensing fee to the pharmacy, and a shipping fee.
How it Works: You can go to www.CostPlusDrugs.com to search the medications they offer, create a free account, and enter your insurance coverage information (which is optional). Ask your doctor or provider to send your prescription to CostPlusDrugs.com (following the instructions on the website), and the company will fill and ship the prescription to you.
GoodRx
The GoodRx website and mobile app helps people save money on their prescriptions with a price comparison tool that lets users search for their medication and compare prices at nearby pharmacies – sometimes the same medication can be substantially cheaper at a different pharmacy nearby. GoodRx also offers discount coupons that can be used at the pharmacy. The tool is free to use, and users can save up to 80% on their prescription costs according to the GoodRx site.
You can use GoodRx if you have insurance, Medicare, or no insurance coverage at all. However, you can’t combine GoodRx with your insurance to lower your prescription copay.
How It Works: GoodRx is accepted at over 70,000 pharmacy locations, including chains like CVS, Costco, Walgreens, Walmart, and more. Visit www.GoodRx.com to start searching for your medications!
Amazon Pharmacy
Amazon’s online pharmacy offers low prices for prescription medications, automatically applies manufacturer coupons at checkout, and delivers medications right to your door. For Amazon Prime members, there are additional savings available, such as the RxPass, which for a $5 monthly fee gives you unlimited medications from a list of 80+ generics, covering many chronic conditions.
While the monthly cost of Amazon Prime may be a barrier for some, anyone with a SNAP EBT Card can receive a 50% discount on Prime – which could be a significant savings if you spend more than $10.99 a month on RxPass eligible medications. Even if someone with SNAP EBT doesn’t join Prime, registering with Amazon provides access to free delivery and free Amazon Fresh which can save time and money if transportation access is a challenge.
You can use Amazon Pharmacy with or without insurance to save up to 80% on your medications; The pharmacy accepts most insurance plans. The site’s price comparison tool will show you both the copay price with insurance and the lowest price without insurance, including any savings for Amazon Prime members.
How it Works: Patients can set up a profile on Amazon Pharmacy, have doctors send prescriptions directly to Amazon, and manage their medications online or via the app. Find more information on https://pharmacy.amazon.com/.
Costco Pharmacy
Costco Pharmacy services are available both inside Costco warehouses and online, offering prescription medications, immunizations, and health services. They’re known for offering low-cost generics and convenient pickup options including in-warehouse pickup, same-day delivery, and mail order. Costco Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans, but you can also use the service without insurance.
You don’t have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy—it’s available to both members and non-members. Members can, however, get additional savings through the Costco Member Prescription Program (CMPP), a prescription drug discount card program that provides access to lower prices at participating pharmacies.
How it Works: You can visit the pharmacy counter inside any Costco warehouse with a copy of your prescription from your doctor. Or you can create a Costco Pharmacy account online and manage your prescriptions and refills from the website or app. Visit https://rx.costco.com/ for more information.
NeedyMeds
NeedyMeds is a national non-profit organization that helps people afford their medications and healthcare costs by providing educational resources. NeedyMeds connects users to Patient Assistance Programs (run by pharmaceutical companies offering free or discounted drugs), diagnosis-based assistance from private or government-funded organizations, a directory of free and low-cost clinics, and savings programs like coupons and rebates.
The NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card, offered through their website, can help you save up to 80% off the price of your prescription medications at participating pharmacies. (But the card cannot be used in combination with other insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid or any state or federal prescription insurance.)
For More Information: Visit www.NeedyMeds.org.
Why Medication Access Matters
Rx Partnership believes in medication access for all, whether you have insurance or not. When it comes to public health, medications are an important piece of the puzzle and complement clinical care. Access to healthcare is not complete without access to the medication you need to get and stay healthy.
When people do have access to the medications they need, we all benefit from:
- Maintaining a Healthier Society
Medications help people manage chronic illnesses and acute conditions. Without them, health issues can worsen and become more complicated.
- Preventing Health Crises that Strain the System
Medicines can prevent serious health problems, reducing the need for costly emergency care or hospital visits. Reducing the number of people who visit the emergency department for preventable issues makes it more likely that someone with a true emergency can be seen quickly.
- Supporting Workforce and Economic Stability
Affordable and free medications allow patients to take their medications as directed and stay healthy so they can work, support their family, and afford essentials like food and housing.
Help Expand Medication Access to More People in Virginia
When you give to Rx Partnership, you help people live healthier lives. Every dollar invested in medication access multiplies your impact for people without insurance in Virginia.
Visit www.rxpartnership.org/donate to make a one-time gift or set up a monthly recurring donation. Every $1 donated provides $28 in medications to patients!