Using a Prescription Savings Program

October 21, 2020

The high price of prescription drugs leads many consumers to search for the cheapest way to purchase the medications they need. Prescription savings programs provide coupons and discount cards that reduce prices and help people find the best deals in their neighborhood. While the specific amount saved varies considerably, individuals may be able to fill a prescription at up to 80 percent off the retail price.

Most prescription savings programs offer their services free of charge. Anyone over the age of 18 can participate, and deals can be applied to prescriptions for other members of the family and sometimes even pets!

If they so desire, people can explore several different prescription savings programs and take advantage of the most pertinent deals at each. Since the medications available for a discount vary by site and by which pharmacies will honor the offer, doing some comparison shopping can prove beneficial.

How Prescription Savings Programs Operate

While slight variations exist, prescription savings programs generally function in the same manner. Before doing anything, realize that you must have a valid prescription for the medication you are seeking. Once that’s obtained, search the online database of the company offering prescription savings. Type the name of the drug into the search field and locate your desired dosage and quantity. The site also will ask for your zip code.

After completing these steps, you’ll obtain a list of area pharmacies and the cost of your prescription at each if choosing to use the prescription savings coupon or card. Once you’ve made your decision, print out your discount coupon or be prepared to show it to the pharmacist on your mobile phone. Or, if the site you’re using employs a discount card instead of individual coupons, print that out instead.

Prescription Savings Programs vs. Insurance

Consumers cannot use both a discount from a prescription savings program and their insurance coverage (including Medicare and Medicaid) on the same purchase. Rather, they should check what their out-of-pocket cost will be on a given medication for each method and select appropriately. Pharmacists oftentimes can help with such evaluations.

Insurance plans frequently dictate which medications members can take. They may not cover a brand name when a generic equivalent is available, or they may not pay for drugs benefiting certain conditions such as weight loss or erectile disfunction. Discounts from a prescription savings program may enable someone to obtain the exact medication he wants at an affordable price.

Considerations About Prescription Savings Programs

Some people get leery about prescription savings programs because they wonder why companies would operate such a service for free. Realize, though, that the organizations make money by charging participating pharmacies in their network a small fee for each transaction, and these fees cumulatively add up. They also profit from ads on their website.

For their part, pharmacies agree to accept these discount coupons and cards for a variety of reasons: bringing customers into the store and hoping they’ll buy other items, building good relations with customers, making a profit even at the discounted price, and fearing they’ll lose business if other area pharmacies are honoring the discount.

A good way to ensure the credibility of a company offering prescription discounts is checking with the Better Business Bureau. Also, reputable businesses generally have a toll-free helpline staffed by actual people (not a recording) who can answer any of your questions.

And as with any online service, stay alert. Avoid anything that demands a usage fee or asks for your social security number or Medicare/insurance number. If a site requires enrollment, read carefully to see how your information will be used.