10 tips to save on prescription drugs for you and your pet

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Are you paying more than you need to for prescription medication? Many people are. Even if you think you have great insurance, there may be a cheaper option.

I volunteered for years at a free/low cost  medical clinic, where it was my job to find patients the lowest cost for the medicine prescribed. I also worked for years at a veterinary clinic and always helped clients find the best price for prescribed medicine.

So your doctor or veterinarian prescribed a medicine. What steps should you take to get the best price?

1.) Ask for free samples

Maybe it is a short term medicine and they will have enough to get you thru your course of treatment.  Or perhaps it’s intended as a long term medicine but a free sample will allow you to try it and see if it is right for you.

2.) Search for the best price 

There can be a HUGE difference in price from one pharmacy to the next for the exact same medicine. I personally have seen a difference of $500 for a one  month supply!!

If you have insurance, start by checking with your insurance provider and find out what your copay will be. This may even vary by which pharmacy you use. But don’t assume using your insurance is the cheapest option. Sometimes it is less expensive to forgo insurance and pay cash instead.

You can check a cash price by calling individual pharmacies. However there are multiple websites that have done the “calling around” for you. You search a specific drug/strength/dose and it brings up a list of pharmacies in your area and prices.

You have probably seen advertisements for some of them like Goodrx.com and  Singlecare.com . If you have a AAA membership you can also search Goodrx.com/aaa .

I am in no way affiliated with these websites nor am I getting any compensation from them.

I picked two commonly prescribed medicines and searched those 3 sites for the price.

First I searched for generic Lipitor 40mg, quantity 90.

Goodrx showed the cheapest price of $15.26 at Kroger. But it also shows I can pay for a  Kroger prescription membership for $36/ year individual or $72/ year family (pets included!) and pay as low as $12.  It was $126 at Walgreens!

A difference of over $110!

The lowest price singlecare found was $38.

Next I searched Symbicort inhaler 120 doses. The cheapest price goodrx found was $158.  This time the highest price was $309 at walmart. A difference of $150!

Depending what med you need you may  find the lowest price on singlecare. If you do, you may consider joining Fetch Rewards. Use my referral code, TF1BT, during signup. You use a singlecare e-card from the fetch app, and you get 5000 fetch rewards points when you fill your first prescription and 1000 points for each filled prescription after that.

3.) Ask for help at the pharmacy

So you searched and think you found the cheapest price, but you could spend hours searching every discount prescription site and card out there. With the new laws passed in 2018, pharmacists are allowed to help you find a lower price. They may volunteer but it is better to be proactive and ask. They may have a discount card that ends up cheaper than you found.

4.) Check for prescription assistance programs or coupons.

Maybe the cheapest price you find is still more than you can afford. I mean $160 for Symbicort is still a lot!

You have probably seen commercials that say something like “if you can’t afford your medication Astra Zeneca may be able to help.”  Well, many times they really can.

Do an internet search like this “(name of medication) prescription assistance”

It will bring up the manufacture website and you can see if there is a financial assistance program or free coupons.

I looked for prescription assistance programs for Symbicort

Programs vary by manufacturer and drug. Some are for people with no prescription insurance but for some it’s ok to have insurance.

Don’t assume you need a really low income to qualify.  Each program varies but I have seen some allow an income up to $100k+ for certain meds.

When my husband was alive he used a prescription assistance program when medicare would not pay for a new cancer drug. It was really expensive. I don’t remember exactly, but over $1000/month. Anyways, the pap covered the entire amount.

 

5.) Don’t take “no” for an answer

Another time, my husband was seeing a doctor who wanted to use a medication but he said Medicare didn’t approve it. Again, I  don’t remember the exact cost but something crazy like $3000/month. But it could have been the difference in saving his eyesight! I asked about filing an appeal and the doctor literally laughed and said “Medicare will never pay that much.”

I decided to try and filled out the appeal paperwork. The doctor’s office was helpful in providing the medical information needed. Since I’m telling the story, I suppose you can guess the outcome…Medicare did approve it and paid it all but a $40 copay!!

6.) Check for transfer coupons

If you have been filling a prescription at one pharmacy and now you found it cheaper at another, check to see if the new pharmacy offers a bonus for transferring.  Most kroger locations will give you $25 store credit for a qualifying transfer, no coupon needed. Ask at your location. Rite Aid also offers $25 bonus cash (store rewards) for a transfer. They often have the coupons in the ad in store or you can print one from their website.  Rite Aid $25 prescription transfer coupon

If you decide to transfer a prescription,  all you have to do is contact the new pharmacy and let them know and provide the information they request.

7.) Meijer offers free antibiotics 

If you live in a state with a Meijer they offer select antibiotics free. No coupon needed. Quite a few can be used for pets, just ask your veterinarian!

8.) Pets are people too

Well, not really, but often times veterinarians prescribe the same medications used for people,  and these can be purchased at the same pharmacy you buy human meds. Most of the prices you find on goodrx will apply for pets as well. Kroger prescription membership  include pets. Meijer’s free antibiotics are for pet prescriptions too.

The only issue I found was using a  Goodrx.com  coupon at Meijer. Meijer insists on a npi number for pet prescriptions when using goodrx. But I have used goodrx for pet prescriptions at Kroger, Walmart and Rite Aid without a problem.

 

9.) Ask your doctor for an alternative 

If you have exhausted the above ideas and you feel you just can’t afford a medicine, ask your doctor if there is an alternative medicine.

I remember years ago, when I was working at the vet clinic, the veterinarian prescribed a med for the first time. The client called us back and said it was about $200. More than they could afford. I searched and couldn’t find it any cheaper. The veterinarian researched and found we could prescribe 2 separate medications that was the equivalent of the one, and combined cost was about $50.

 

10) Ask your doctor if you can split a pill.

If your doctor prescribes “x” drug 20 mg. Check if it would be cheaper to buy 40 mg tablets and take only half.  If so, ask your doctor if it would be ok to get the prescription written that way.