Taking the medications your doctor prescribes is a critical component of staying healthy, but they can wreak havoc on your budget long term. So, what are patients supposed to do if the medications they’re prescribed are financially out of reach?
It’s a sadly common situation, and while there is no perfect solution to this ongoing national issue, there are several ways to save money on medications with and without insurance. Read on to learn tips and strategies to help you save money on your next trip to the pharmacy counter.
[SEE: 11 Foods Not to Mix With Prescription Medications.]
Strategies for Saving Money on Prescription Drugs
The following strategies may help reduce your medication costs.
— Ask your doctor about possible alternatives.
— Adjust your insurance selections.
— Leverage HSA or FSA accounts.
— Make an appointment with your pharmacist.
— Change providers.
— Use a prescription savings card.
— Look for manufacturer discount programs.
— Leverage state pharmaceutical assistance programs.
— Seek assistance from a nonprofit group.
— Request medication samples from your doctor.
— Ask about pill splitting.
— Opt for a 90-day supply.
— Shop around for the best price.
1. Ask your doctor about possible alternatives.
Ask your doctor why you need a specific medication and whether an alternative, generic or over-the-counter medication is available that might have the same effect.
“Generics contain the same active ingredients as brand-name medications and are required to meet the same FDA standards for safety and efficacy, but can often cost less,” says Erika Gray, pharmacist and co-founder and chief medical officer of Utah-based genetic testing companies ToolBox Genomics and MyToolBox Genomics.
Generics are almost always less expensive than brand-name drugs, typically about 80% to 85%, notes HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, senior pharmacy director at Buzz Health, a prescription technology company based in Florida.
“A significant contributing factor is that while generic drugs contain the same safe and effective active ingredient or ingredients as the brand-name versions, a generic drug manufacturer does not have to invest on upfront research costs and clinical trials for generic drug approvals. Those savings are often passed on to consumers via lower prices at the pharmacy counter,” she says.
2. Adjust your insurance selections.
Making sure you’re in the best health insurance plan and prescription drug plan for your needs can help you save money on prescriptions, as well as other health care services.
Whether you’re getting health care coverage through an employer, your state’s health insurance exchange, Medicare or Medicaid, you should review your options annually and adjust your coverage if your needs change.
During that period, scrutinize your plan’s prescription drug benefits by:
— Reviewing the plan’s formulary, which details the drugs covered
— Cross-referencing your own medication list
— Looking for other plans available if there’s a gap between the formulary and what you take
— Double-checking how coverage works for the plan you’re selecting
— Asking about costs associated with filling prescriptions at different pharmacies
[READ: How Medicare Beneficiaries Can Save Money on Prescription Drugs]
3. Leverage HSA or FSA accounts.
Many health insurance plans have programs called health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts. These pre-tax funds can be used to cover the out-of-pocket costs of your prescription medications.
Not all insurance plans offer these accounts, but if yours does, it can be a good way to maximize your savings in case of unexpected health care expenses. “If you have time to plan or if you have chronic health conditions, it’s beneficial to contribute more to these tax-advantaged accounts in the upcoming years,” Ngo-Hamilton says.
4. Make an appointment with your pharmacist.
Pharmacists are trained professionals with extensive experience in not only dispensing medications, but also:
— Counseling patients about potential side effects
— Checking for negative drug interactions
— Swapping in less expensive alternative medications
Many pharmacists are willing to meet with patients to review complete medication lists, including over-the-counter products and supplements you take to help you avoid potentially negative interactions and reduce costly redundancies.
Your pharmacist can also tell you whether you’d save money by paying for your prescription in cash rather than shelling out for the insurance copay. But keep in mind, if you don’t run a prescription against your insurance, it won’t count toward your annual deductible.
Pharmacists can also help you get more from your medications if you have Medicare Part D. Through a free program called Medication Therapy Management, or MTM, eligible members get yearly medication reviews, personal consultations and follow-ups to optimize medication use and manage chronic conditions while potentially lowering prescription costs.
[READ 10 Essential Questions to Ask Your Pharmacist About OTC Meds]
5. Change providers.
If you’re struggling to afford your medical care, including prescriptions, it might be time to look for a provider who offers reduced-cost services and options.
Consider switching to telehealth services and visiting community clinics, both of which often offer care on a sliding-fee scale based on income.
6. Use a prescription savings card.
Using a prescription savings card is another great way to save money, particularly for patients who don’t have insurance but need medications to manage an ongoing health issue such as high blood pressure.
But these cards aren’t limited to those without insurance; for example, if your insurance plan has a high deductible that you haven’t met yet, a prescription saving card could lower your out-of-pocket costs. Just keep in mind, these cards can’t be used in combination with insurance to lower your copayment and your payment won’t help you meet your deductible.
Read all about various prescription savings card programs and compare their options below.
[Read: How to Save Money on Your Health Care]
7. Look for manufacturer discount programs.
Some pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance and discount programs for people who meet specific income and insurance criteria.
Visit the website of the manufacturer for the medication you need and see whether such a program exists. You may need to fill out an application form to check your eligibility, and you may be asked to provide proof of income and a statement from your health care provider showing that the medication is medically necessary.
8. Leverage state pharmaceutical assistance programs.
Many states offer a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program, which aim to reduce costs to consumers. How they work varies by state; some use state funds to provide direct subsidies to the consumer, while others offer a discount for pharmaceutical purchases. Some states have sub-programs, such as prescription buying clubs or discount cards, and some states offer several options aimed at different populations.
All of these programs have specific eligibility requirements that vary by state and program.
9. Seek assistance from a nonprofit group.
Several nonprofit groups around the country work to provide access to medications for people with financial need. Check out the following options:
— The Patient Access Network Foundation, a large organization based in Washington, D.C., provides financial assistance for medical treatments of eligible individuals and advocates for policy solutions to expand access to care.
— The Patient Advocate Foundation, based in Hampton, Virginia, uses case management expertise to help patients access treatment, including medication. The organization offers a copay relief program and other financial aid programs to eligible patients.
— NeedyMeds and RxAssist both provide lower-cost options and help people access medications on a budget.
— BenefitsCheckUp, a free online tool from the National Council on Aging, can help older adults and people with disabilities connect with local programs and services for affordable health care, nutritious food and other support services.
— Other patient assistance nonprofit organizations online and in your community. Your health care provider can be a good source of information about local options.
10. Request medication samples from your doctor.
If you haven’t taken the prescribed medication before, it can be helpful to see how you’ll react to the drug before paying for a full prescription. Pharmaceutical manufacturers know this and often provide samples of new or popular medications to doctors to help them encourage prescription writing. Therefore, it’s quite possible your physician has samples to share.
Even if your doctor doesn’t have samples, they might have a coupon that can help you access the medication at a discount or for free.
[SEE: 11 Foods Not to Mix With Prescription Medications.]
11. Ask about pill splitting.
Some prescription medications have an indentation in the middle that makes it easy to split them in half, which could be advantageous if you’re trying to save money. For example, if you normally take 5 milligrams of a medication twice a day, you would need 60 pills for a 30-day supply. Instead, you could theoretically get the same dose by getting 10-milligram pills and cutting them in half, which might save you some money.
However, not all pills can be split, particularly “extended-release” or “slow-release” medications, so check with your pharmacist or doctor first.
And, no one is advocating cutting the dose in half or taking pills less frequently than prescribed, which is unfortunately an ill-advised action some people take to save money, Ngo-Hamilton says.
“Deviating from the treatment plan to save money can pose serious long-term risks for your health,” Ngo-Hamilton adds.
12. Opt for a 90-day supply.
In some cases, filling a 90-day prescription is more cost-effective than a 30-day prescription. A form of buying in bulk, this approach can also be more convenient too, as you won’t need to go to the pharmacy each month to pick up your refill. Plus, many health insurance plans offer 90-day prescriptions via mail order, so the medications are delivered directly to your home.
[READ: How Adults Can Get Free or Low-Cost Vaccines]
13. Shop around for the best price.
Shopping around for the best price can lead to significant savings. Health care is notoriously opaque when it comes to price-comparison shopping, but checking with local pharmacies for the best price can help.
Pricing transparency websites such as GoodRx.com, SingleCare and WellRx can help make this process simpler by aggregating local price data to help you find the best deal near you. These websites also offer discount coupons that may make the cost of your prescription lower than your insurance copay, Gray says.
“Prescribers also sometimes have tools available that allow them to determine which pharmacy may offer the best price for your medication and can send the prescription to that pharmacy,” Ngo-Hamilton adds.
And remember, sometimes it’s cheaper to pay cash for prescriptions, but doing so does not help you reach any insurance deductible you might have.
Discount Pharmacy Programs
A growing range of organizations in the direct-to-consumer pharmacy market now offer help in finding the best deal and providing consumers access to reduced-cost medications. These initiatives — sometimes offered by government entities, private businesses or pharmaceutical companies — cut out pharmacy benefit managers, a conventional middleman in the delivery of prescription medications to consumers that can increase costs.
Advocate for Yourself
Being proactive and informed can make a big difference in your medication costs, Gray says. “If you’re prescribed a high-cost medication, don’t be afraid to ask about alternative cost-effective options or if the same medication could be taken in a different form, dose or brand that might be cheaper.”
She acknowledges that such conversations can be difficult. However, “it’s important to continue to take medications despite their costs to prevent long-term health complications and higher long-term expenses.”
It’s also a good idea to stay up to date on what your insurance covers and to stay engaged in all of your health care decisions to help you access the care you need without compromising your financial well-being.
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How to Save Money on Prescriptions 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/08/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
