“Being good consumers of healthcare costs is always a challenge, and you might be anxious about going to a doctor and getting a prescription not knowing how much it’s going to cost,” says Ramzi Yacoub, chief pharmacy officer at SingleCare. “This is just a really easy tool for people to use to understand their costs beforehand.” If you go this route, still do your own homework. “[These options] can save you a lot of legwork, although it’s always a good idea to confirm the lowest price directly with the pharmacy,” says Kate Ashford, a Medicare specialist at NerdWallet. “Sometimes the rate on the site isn’t what you’ll be charged when you use your insurance.” Many of these sites also offer downloadable coupons for prescription drugs. “The way they work varies—often you can’t use them together with insurance—but sometimes they discount a drug so much that it doesn’t matter if you use your insurance,” Ashford says. “Do a web search for your drug and the words ‘assistance’ or ‘coupon’ to see what’s out there.” But Yacoub suggests using caution when going this route with general web searches. “A lot of websites and online pharmacy retailers do this, just make sure it’s a reputable company in the United States rather than getting something outside of the U.S. that isn’t FDA approved,” he says. “You have to be careful.” “It’s worthwhile to price your prescription at several pharmacies, including the big box stores like Costco and Walmart,” Ashford says. “There can be substantial savings by filling prescriptions at a different store.” “Sometimes you just need to sign up using your personal information, while others require a small membership fee,” Ashford says. “Walgreens’ prescription savings program is $20 for a single person and $35 for a family, for instance.” Keep in mind that there could be disadvantages associated with the generic version of a drug you’ve been prescribed. Ashford says this can get tricky when it comes to antidepressants or birth control, for example. “Even if the active ingredient in a generic is the same as the brand, the inactive ingredients can be different, and they may affect how you react to the medication,” she says. “If you feel like you’re not getting the desired results from a generic, definitely talk to your doctor.” Of course, there are some meds (think: heavy-duty painkillers) that you’re not allowed to order in large quantities. “Painkillers, opiates—anything that needs to be recalibrated often with a doctor—may not want to keep you at a particular dose for a long time, or may want to sort of reassess how you’re doing on that dose before prescribing it for a longer period of time,” Alvarez explains. It’s always worth it to ask, but “that can be a key twist,” she adds. Yacoub also suggests chatting up your pharmacist, and he can’t stress enough the importance of working with them. “They’re a great tool and happy to help,” he insists “It’s important to shop around each year when you have the opportunity, either during your employer’s open enrollment or during Medicare’s open enrollment period,” Ashford says. “Insurance plans can change their drug coverage each year and you should make sure you’re getting the best plan for your money.” Before you switch, check that it won’t cause any gaps in coverage while you should be taking those prescriptions. Alvarez suggests contacting your current provider to see if they can work with you on a particular prescription before changing plans. Yacoub adds, “Generally these insurance companies will offer online services and price look-up tools to find the best options for your medications.”
