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Shopping for Prescription Drugs
En Español | The recommended practice for buying prescription drugs is to buy them all from the same pharmacy, as all your medication will be in their system and they can alert you of any adverse interactions between them. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to shop around for the best prices, as these can vary up to 400% from one pharmacy to the other.
The following steps will help you lower your prescription costs:
Request a preferred drug list or drug formulary from your insurance company, as this will list the drugs that are covered by your insurance plan. If your doctor prescribes a medication not on the list, ask them or your pharmacist if you could take another medication that is covered by your insurance company.
Learn about the contents and the cost of the medications you are taking. Many are new recipes of old cheaper drugs, and they include two active ingredients which if bought separate can save you a lot of money, by just taking two pills instead of one, and they even might be sold over the counter.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are more cost-effective medications, for example:
- Brand vs. generic
- Ointments vs. creams
- Medication strengths: Such as a 10mg drug might not be covered but a 20mg drug might be, and by cutting it in half it can save you some money.
Sometimes it is cheaper to shop for the medication outside of your insurance plan.
Use Prescription Discount Cards. Online programs offer discount cards which can work for the insured and uninsured.
Pharmacies might have in store discounts, but you have to ask for them. Ask for “all-available discounts” and check whether the best price is the one you get through your insurance, or the one you get through a pharmacy’s discount outside of your insurance.
Contact the manufacturer of your medication. They might offer generous co-payment cards or coupon-type programs that provide greater assistance.
Look for independent pharmacies and grocery store pharmacies, or warehouse stores like Costco Pharmacy and Sam’s Club (you don’t need to be a member, to be able to buy medication.)
Once you have found a pharmacy with good prices, it is wise to buy all your medication from them, as they may catch any adverse interaction between your medicines.
Pharmacies charge dispensing fees. Ask if the fees could be lowered by buying a three- month supply or larger quantities.
If you are enrolled in Medicare but don’t benefit from the discounts for prescription drugs offer through Medicare Part D, you may still be able to receive some benefits. By law, they must provide discounts to any Medicare beneficiary that has no prescription drugs coverage by any insurance.
resources
Drug Prices
Florida Prescription Drug Price
Prices are updated monthly. Prices show is what an insured person would pay.
Medications and Manufacturers Assistance Programs
State Savings Programs
Phone: (850) 245-4444
Medicine Assistance Tools
OnLine Discounts
Provides prices and deals available in your area. Medicare patients can know co-payments in advance allowing you and your doctor change your drug or pharmacy if prices are too high.
Phone: (833) 794.1293
Mail Order Pharmacies
Caremark (owned by CVS)
International Mail Order Pharmacies
Patients are connected to overseas mail order pharmacies.
Verify Your Pharmacy is Legal and Safe
Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPs)
Maintained by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
Additional resources can be found here.
Medical Equipment Costs
To find lower medical equipment costs, try:
Hospice Organizations: Sometimes provide free or low-cost medical equipment.
Charitable Organizations: Another option that provides free or low-cost equipments.