Tag Archives: Issue 20190530

Benefits U: Here’s a cure for the high cost of prescriptions

Shorelines Editor

By Cindy Lohrey, AVP, Payroll & Benefits Manager

You’ve just been prescribed a new medication by your physician, and you’re worried about what it will cost. Can you afford it? Does it cost the same at one pharmacy versus another? Why not turn to GoodRx for help?

GoodRx helps more than 10 million Americans save on prescriptions every month. Prescription drug prices are not regulated, so the cost of a prescription can differ by more than $100 between pharmacies.

GoodRx helps you find the best price for your prescription with a database of current prices and discounts. You can use their website at goodrx.com or their mobile app. And GoodRx is 100 percent free to use! No personal information is required.

On the home page, simply type in the name of the drug in the search field (they’ll even help you spell it), and then click “Find the Lowest Price.”

You can also use GoodRx coupons to pay less than the cash price for a prescription. These coupons are accepted by most pharmacies in the U.S. Simply print the coupon and bring it to the pharmacy when you pick up your prescription. Or, if you use the mobile app, you don’t have to print anything.

If you use GoodRx in place of your health insurance, just ask the pharmacist to process the transaction using the coupon or discount card instead of your insurance. You can also use your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for prescriptions when you use a GoodRx discount.

Remember that the cost of prescriptions purchased using GoodRx discounts will not automatically count toward your deductible. However, you can submit your receipt along with a prescription drug form from OptumRx (search for pharmacy reimbursement form in Ask Seymour) to have your claim processed toward your deductible. Here’s an example of how it might work:

  • The cost of a drug through your insurance at the pharmacy is $216. OUCH!
  • You find a coupon on GoodRx to purchase this same prescription for $77, but you need to skip going through the insurance.
  • You need to submit a claim to OptumRx using their claim form and include your receipt from the pharmacy. OptumRx will process the $77 toward your deductible.

Sounds like a prescription for success to us!