GoodRx

[geekette]

We have a high deductible plan, and a generic drug that I take just kept going up.  I did a search online for a lower price and GoodRx came up.  Since the price they claimed I'd be charged at a local CVS was close to half the mail order price through our plan, I really thought it would be a waste of my time, my doctor's time (new script), and the pharmacy's time.  But nope - the price was slightly LESS than half what my insurance company would have charged for mail order.  I was charged $134.42 for a three month supply instead of $295.65.

That's over a $50/month savings!  I don't think it will apply to our deductible, but eh, we probably wouldn't reach it anyway, so why pay more.

The other odd thing was that with my insurance card, I would have been charged $75/month, which is less than the mail order price.  Very strange since they push mail order to save money. 

[Rural]

Not an online pharmacy, but my prescription costs less for a two-month supply at my local pharmacy, without running my insurance, than one month costs at the same pharmacy with my insurance. It's always worth checking.

[geekette]

Without insurance, this drug costs over $100/month (Costco quoted $134/month cash).  I checked my husband's med, and we've been paying $90 per quarter for his, GoodRx says we should be able to get it for $65 (but in this case, Costco quotes $50). 

Med prices just don't make sense.

[TreeTired]

We have had to buy a few prescriptions recently without insurance.  We are taking care of a little girl who does not have health insurance.   I have found a huge variety of online coupons that actually work.    GoodRX is only one of them.  If you Google the drug name along with best price or something like that you will find many coupons.  Different coupons work best for different drugs.  It is pretty random.  I had a very cooperative pharmacy clerk at Walgreens who entered all the various coupons for me and let me use the best one.


Speaking of generics,  this should probably be a new topic, but here goes:   I take Pravastatin  (a very common generic statin)  which has just been removed from Walmart's $4 generic list.  Target has been price matching and I have been getting my prescription filled at Target for like $10 or $8 for 2 months worth.   I recently went to get my refill and they told me it would be $59!!!  because it was no longer on Walmart's $4 generic list.   I called Walmart to confirm this piece of bad news, which they did, but also told me that during January the pharmacist would honor the $4 charge for any length prescription my doctor would write.   I called my doctor and explained, and they sent over a 6 month script.   I got 6 months worth of Pravastatin for $20  (I don't know why it wasn't $4 x 6  = $24).  Unless I find a good coupon,  6 months could cost me $180 in the future.

[geekette]

If you have a Rite-Aid in the area, they have a good deal on it with their free membership, if GoodRx is correct.  It'll probably change by the time you need it, though...

Another option is pill splitting if appropriate.  I do that for one of mine because the cost is about the same for both sizes. It's pre-scored.

On another note, some (young) people posting budgets with teeny tiny medical line items are going to be in for a surprise as they age. 

[bacchi]

<spam deleted> I'll let you know how well it goes .

Yeah, I bet you will.

[Dulcimina]

We have a high deductible plan, and a generic drug that I take just kept going up.  I did a search online for a lower price and GoodRx came up.  Since the price they claimed I'd be charged at a local CVS was close to half the mail order price through our plan, I really thought it would be a waste of my time, my doctor's time (new script), and the pharmacy's time.  But nope - the price was slightly LESS than half what my insurance company would have charged for mail order.  I was charged $134.42 for a three month supply instead of $295.65.

That's over a $50/month savings!  I don't think it will apply to our deductible, but eh, we probably wouldn't reach it anyway, so why pay more.

The other odd thing was that with my insurance card, I would have been charged $75/month, which is less than the mail order price.  Very strange since they push mail order to save money.

I'm also on a HDHP I tried GoodRx in April http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/are-online-prescription-drug-coupons-legit/ and came to the same conclusion.  But the amount you spend through GoodRx doesn't get applied to your deductible.