Celebrating 12 years as a Medicare Specialist, October 2020
☎️ Office: 315.676.4933
📱 Cell: 315.727.4933
Hi there!

Save money on your prescriptions with GoodRx.com.

COVID-19 vaccine scams.

Keep reading!

Theresa Cangemi CSA, CLTC
"The Medicare Lady™" 
SAVE $ ON YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS with “GOODRX.COM” 💲💊
Many of my clients have heard me talk about www.GoodRx.com website. GOODRX.COM is not prescription insurance but it is a discount program that helps you compare and save on your prescription costs. GOODRX.COM is an online tool that compares your drug prices against other pharmacies and most importantly your own prescription drug insurance (Medicare Part D). GOODRX.COM can be used to compare against any prescription insurance, not just Medicare prescription insurance (Part D). So you can be under the age of 65 and still use the GOODRX.COM online tool.
 
Here is how it works:
Can I use GoodRx instead of insurance? 💊
For my Medicare-eligible clients, Medicare requires you to have a Part D or prescription drug insurance/program in place when you turn age 65. GOODRX.COM would be just another option or tool to save, like a discount program.  GOODRX.COM is not prescription insurance coverage and you would pay the cash price at the pharmacy when you pick up your prescription(s) using a coupon. Here is the “skinny” from the website:

Can I use GoodRx instead of insurance? 💊
You can and should use a GoodRx discount instead of your health insurance or Medicare if the price is lower. Keep in mind that you cannot use GoodRx and insurance at the same time. However, you can use GoodRx instead of insurance or government-funded programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, to pay for your prescription medications. GoodRx is not insurance.

If you find a better price on GoodRx than what your coverage offers, ask the pharmacist to use the coupon and process the transaction as a “cash” payment instead. They will use the codes on the GoodRx coupon to find your new price.

If the pharmacist has any trouble, please give us a call at 1-855-268-2822 (M-F 9am-6pm CST). Our advocates are there to help you, and can often resolve your issue while you’re still in the pharmacy.
 
Here are some examples of discounts offer by the GOODRX.COM website:  
GOODRX.COM offers many other valuable tools including educating the public about insurance, their medications, and “news you can use”, for example:
TELEHEALTH – ONLINE:

See an Online Doctor Today 🩺
GoodRx helps you compare telehealth services with board-certified doctors. No insurance necessary. Complete an online doctor visit and pick up your prescription today.
 
 
GOODRX FOR PETS: 🐾
We love our pets, but they can be expensive! It has been hard to compare prices on pet medications — until now. GoodRx brings together prices from major online pet medication retailers, local pharmacies and other sources to find you the lowest prices on all your pet medications.
 
FIND DRUGS BASED ON A HEALTH CONDITION, like allergies, arthritis, depression, heartburn, weight loss: https://www.goodrx.com/conditions
 
 
What to Know About Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccines 💉
  • Where can I get the vaccine?
  • How much will it cost?
  • Will the vaccine be covered by insurance?
  • What are the side effects of the vaccine?
  • Latest news, research, and approvals
 
Here are some important topics about the COVID-19 vaccine that you might want to know:  https://www.goodrx.com/covid-19/vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine scams 💉
Are there fake companies offering access to the vaccine? 💉
Yes. The FBI has received thousands of complaints about vaccine-related fraud, including fake websites requesting patient information and promising access to a vaccine. There are also examples of people receiving fraudulent phone calls, letters, and texts. 

The FBI warns that vaccine information should only come from an official government website and that you should be suspicious of any of the following:
  • Advertisements offering early access to the vaccine for money
  • Offers to get the vaccine for money
  • Offers to be put on a vaccine waiting list for money
  • Phone calls or other personal contact asking for your personal and/or medical information — even if they claim to be from a medical center, the government, or a “COVID-19 vaccine” center
  • Vaccine advertisements seen on social media or online
  • Vaccine advertisements from unsolicited (spam) phone calls or email

If you’re looking for trustworthy information, a great place to start is your employer or healthcare provider. You can also go to your state department website for information, or turn to other verified resources like GoodRx.

Can money buy a COVID-19 vaccine? 💉
No. The COVID-19 vaccine is not for sale. You cannot buy access to it.
According to the FBI, you should be suspicious of any company or person offering access to the vaccine in exchange for money. The COVID-19 vaccine is free for all Americans (though in some cases your healthcare provider may charge an administrative fee for giving the shots). 
To see if you’re in an eligible group, check the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or your state health department. Though the vaccine won’t be mandatory, it is recommended as one of the best tools we have in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people and groups are all working together to make sure everyone gets a vaccine as soon as possible, including:
  • Employers
  • State governments
  • Hospitals
  • Pharmacies
  • Healthcare providers
 
I hope this information was helpful. I know a lot of my client struggle with medication costs. This GOODRX.COM tool is a good way to stay informed and be “in control” of what you pay for prescription costs instead of feeling powerless and having the insurance companies dictate what you will pay.

Stay healthy, be well 😊
* This article is for information purposes only. I don’t recommend, support, or diagnose any featured writer or article. I am not a doctor. Your health is one of a kind. What works for one person may not for another, so the information in these articles should not take the place of an expert opinion. Before making significant lifestyle or diet changes, please consult your primary care physician or nutritionist. Your doctor will know your own health best.