Medicare.gov site
Try the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services'
list of recommended programs
. These programs provide co-payment assistance or free or discounted medicines to people who can’t afford them.
Click here or copy and paste link in your search browser:
NeedyMeds.org site
NeedyMeds also offers free drug discount cards offering up to 80% off the cash price of prescription drugs, one of many drug-discount programs out there.
RefillWise.com site
RefillWise has a savings card that also tracks prescriptions, offers “points” that can be redeemed for cash rewards and reminder emails when it’s time to call in your next prescription.
Goodrx.com site
Drug prices vary wildly between pharmacies. GoodRx finds the lowest prices and discounts. How?
- Collect and compare prices for every FDA-approved prescription drug at more than 70,000 US pharmacies
- Find free coupons to use at the pharmacy
- Show the lowest price at each pharmacy near you
RxAssist.org site
When you enter the site you can choose physician or patient (it doesn't matter) and type in the name of the drug. It will let you know if there is a program available and you may be able to download applications for such programs there. Important: you must type name of the drug correctly.
Webmd.com site
ARTICLE: Patient Assistance Programs for Prescription Drugs
Cancer.org site
ARTICLE: Programs That Help Pay for Prescription Drugs
Some other ways to get help:
- Always talk to your doctor and/or pharmacist about your benefits and whether there are less-expensive options, including generic drugs, that would work as well for you.
- Have your doctor submit to your insurer for a “clinical exception” if your insurer denies coverage for a more expensive drug that you’ve been using successfully.
- Ask around to see if your local stores have savings or discount programs.
- Shop around. Consumer Reports reported recently that prices for generic drugs varied considerably depending on the pharmacy. Plavix, for example, cost $13 at Costco, $30 at Target and Walmart and a whopping $130 at Rite Aid
- Compare drug prices online. The GoodRx.com site, helps to compare costs by pharmacy and includes coupons.
Now here’s the Bad (masking high drug prices); AND the Ugly (the need for transparency):
USA TODAY article: Drug co-pay assistance programs facing increasing state, federal scrutiny
Charity-run funds to help patients pay high co-payments face new scrutiny by prosecutors in two states and increased federal oversight, amid increasing questions about how they mask high drug prices. : (read on …)
