How to save money on your prescriptions

The medicines prescribed by your doctor are essential to your good health. But like with many of life’s necessities, there are ways you can pay less for them. Below, let’s review some tips to simply and affordably get the prescriptions you need from the pharmacies you trust. With some savvy shopping, you can use the money you save on the things you enjoy.

Start saving money by comparing pharmacy prices for medications

There are many reasons why drug prices may differ, even among pharmacies in your neighborhood. That’s why it’s a great idea to use your health plan’s prescription drug price estimator.

Instead of calling around to compare prices, an online estimator lets you easily see what medicines cost at pharmacies near you. In fact, you can often get real-time prescription prices from thousands of pharmacies across the country, all in one place.

Save money with generic drugs – less expensive versions of brand-name medications

Another easy way to save money on your prescriptions is with generic versions of brand-name medicines:

Generic medicines can come in different shapes, sizes and colors, but they still have the same active ingredients and effectiveness as their brand-name counterparts.
Generics are manufactured according to strict quality and safety standards.
Generic drugs usually cost a lot less than their brand-name counterparts.

Most pharmacies will automatically fill your prescription with a generic if it’s available, even if your provider prescribes a drug by its brand name. Ask your pharmacy if it does this. If not, tell them you’d like your prescriptions to always be filled with a generic whenever possible.

Interested in a particular brand-name medicine or not sure about using generic medicines? Talk with your doctor for their perspective, or contact Member Services and ask for a pharmacy navigator. Then, if you still need to look up brand-name medicine prices, you can often find the lowest cost near you using a prescription drug price estimator. Note that some brand-name medicines may require prior authorization from your health insurer.

Mail order pharmacies may offer low-cost prescriptions online

Mail order pharmacies offer a great way to get the medications you need safely, securely and at consistently low prices – especially for drugs you take regularly. Plus, you can save time by not having to travel (or wait in line) to get your prescriptions.

Check with your health plan to see if they work with a mail order pharmacy. Sometimes you can even get discounts for choosing to have your prescriptions delivered to your home.

Larger quantities per medication fill can cost you less over time

Smart shoppers know that buying household products in bulk can be a simple way to save money. The same goes for prescription drugs, especially health maintenance medicines you know you’ll use regularly.

Many pharmacies offer a 90-day supply of these medicines at a better value than 30-day supplies. This is because it takes less administrative work to process one 90-day supply than three 30-day supplies – and the savings can get passed on to you. Plus, one pharmacy trip for one 90-day supply can replace three trips for three 30-day supplies, decreasing your transportation costs and increasing your savings even more.

If you take regular medicines, ask your pharmacy if they offer discounts for 90-day or similar refills. If discounts are available, ask your doctor to update your prescription to a 90-day supply. Have questions or need a prior authorization? Your health plan’s Member Services team can help.

Use an HSA or FSA to pay for your prescriptions

If you’re eligible, you can use money from your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for your prescriptions. Each type of account allows you to set aside pretax money to help pay for qualified health care expenses. And prescriptions qualify – even those not covered by or processed through your insurance.

By putting more of what you earn toward the medicine you need, you can save a bit of money each time you visit the pharmacy. To see if you’re eligible to open an HSA or FSA, check with your health insurance carrier or employer. If you are eligible, they can provide you the information you need to get started.

Consider where you’re getting your infusion therapy

Infusion therapy is a special type of drug treatment. It’s used to help care for a wide variety of conditions, including autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal conditions and cancer.

You can get infusion therapy in several different places: in a hospital, in an infusion center or even at home. But cost can vary significantly. For example, when you get an infusion at a hospital, it typically costs more; on the other hand, home infusion typically costs less.

That’s why it can be helpful to see if there are more affordable options for your infusion therapy. You may be able to get the infusions you need at a lower-cost location with no disruption to your care, saving you money in the process. To learn more, talk with your doctor or contact Member Services and ask for a pharmacy navigator.