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Bloomberg reports that, on average, Americans spend $1,200 on prescription medication, per year, per person. We also spend more on prescription medication than any other country, with most Americans paying for 14 percent of their prescription costs out of pocket. Well over a quarter of Americans have reported not taking a prescribed course of drugs because it was too expensive, and spending a substantial amount of time arguing with their insurance companies about the cost of their medicines. The world and Americans themselves feel a lot of ways about this country right now, but something many can agree on is this: there has to be a better way when it comes to healthcare.
Those who only rarely need drugs, like antibiotics for the infrequent infection, or once-a-month generally cheap items like birth control may not think too much about the cost of drugs. But those who need a drug daily – or several prescriptions daily – just to survive and do so without pain know the real cost of medication. They know the toll it takes on one’s bank account.
Some companies decided to provide that better way and created apps and other tools to help you save money on the drugs you need. We cover some of the top ones here.
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GoodRx
GoodRx comes particularly in handy for those who don’t have insurance, or whose insurance isn’t covering a certain prescription. Simply go to their website or go on their app and type in the drug you are looking for. GoodRx will list the cash prices (i.e. without insurance) and applicable coupons at hundreds of participating pharmacies. In some cases, the GoodRx price is better than the prescription price, so it’s still worth checking what the app has to say before paying your co-pay. In fact, GoodRx traditionally gets customers better prices than insurance on major drugs like Omeprazole, Sertraline, and Lorazepam. They recently began a membership program for which members pay a monthly fee and get guaranteed better prices on hundreds of medications.
