How to lower your prescription drug costs

ByJeff Ehling KTRK logo

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

How to lower your prescription drug costs

Many people don't know that different pharmacies often have varying prices. Here's how you can find the best price for the medication you need.

Lowering the cost of your prescription drugs can save you a lot of money.

Amazon opened an online pharmacy last week that allows customers to order medication or prescription refills, and have them delivered to their front door in a couple of days.

However, there are other ways to cut costs even further.

Amazon is now in the pharmacy industry. This is what you can get with insurance, without insurance and if you're a Prime member.

One thing most of us probably don't do is price compare prescriptions. You can actually call various pharmacies and ask about the price.

You have a choice about where you buy your prescriptions, so finding out the costs can save you money on the exact same medication.

There are other ways to save as well.

GoodRx is a website that price compares for customers, and gives you coupons for extra savings.

The website lets you see the price at various pharmacies, and you can print out coupons or use their mobile app.

ABC13's Jeff Ehling entered the name of one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US, Atorvastatin, used to lower cholesterol, online and GoodRx showed different pharmacies that could cut the cost by 50 to 80 percent.

"We don't think we have choice in health care. We feel health care is one of those parts of our lives that we feel locked in, but it turns out that is not true at all," said Thomas Goetz from GoodRx. "We do have choice, and there is variation in prices if we shop with our feet like we do with other parts of our daily lives."

GoodRx is a free service. It is not insurance. Instead, you will pay the cash price.

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