Prescription drugs have become a vital tool in preventing and fighting disease. We are living longer, oftentimes with chronic disease, which our doctors use prescription drugs to manage. But it’s not just older adults who depend on prescription medications. Almost two-thirds of all adults report taking at least one prescription medicine, and about 30% take four or more.
Along with increased use, what we pay for prescription drugs in the U.S. has steadily risen. From 2004 to 2019, prescription drug costs rose 69% in the U.S. And prices for some common generic medicines — once a surefire way of saving money on prescriptions — have risen dramatically too.
So, it’s no wonder that many people struggle to afford the medications their doctors prescribe, especially those with multiple prescriptions.
Ways to Help Lower Your Prescription Costs
About 25% of Americans have trouble paying high out-of-pocket costs for their prescriptions. And almost 60% say they are worried about being able to afford medicines for themselves or their family members. Worse still, about 40% of adults said they did not always take their medicines as prescribed in the past year due to their cost.
So where can you turn for relief?
Depending on your situation, a number of programs are available to help offset the cost of prescription drugs. Some are offered through federal or local government programs and others by drug companies or nonprofit organizations. All have the goal of lowering out-of-pocket prescription drug costs and giving you access to the medications you need.
If you have trouble affording your meds or just don’t want to pay high out-of-pocket costs, try these things first:
Ask your doctor to prescribe generics
While generic drug prices have risen, too — often because of plain old inflation or a lack of competition — they are still one of the best bets for saving money on prescription costs, says Leigh Purvis, prescription drug policy principal at AARP’s Public Policy Institute. “Generic drugs are definitely a top option for most people, assuming one’s available,” she says. “On average, they are 80% to 85% less expensive than their brand-name counterparts. And oftentimes, when you have a very popular drug, you get a lot of generic competitors. So you can get price reductions that are even greater than that.”
No drug works well for everyone, and generics are no exception, but they are generally safe to use. “They are deemed by the FDA to be ‘bioequivalent,’ which is a fancy way of saying they’re effectively the same drug,” Purvis says. “They just happen to be significantly less expensive.”
If you’re worried or had a bad experience with a generic drug, talk with your doctor, says Ryan Ramsey, associate director of health coverage and benefits at the National Council on Aging. “See if you can get a trial period for trying that medication.” You can always go back to your original prescription if the generic medicine doesn’t work.
“Sometimes, you can find another brand-name drug that is less expensive for the condition you’re trying to treat,” Purvis says. So you should ask your doctor about that, too.
Other ways to save
Comparison shop. You might find that the cost of your medicine is much lower at a different retail pharmacy.
Pay out of pocket if the drug costs more under your insurance plan. “If you can get it at a lower price, there’s nothing stopping you from just paying out of pocket and paying that lower cost,” Ramsey says, with the caution that paying outside your insurance plan means the purchase will not count toward your deductible.
Check mail-order pharmacy prices, which can be lower than brick-and-mortar drugstore prices. Ordering a 90-day supply of medicine may be more cost-effective.
Use third-party websites and apps. “You can always go to websites like NeedyMeds.org, RxAssist, or GoodRx to see if you can find some of those drug manufacturer programs for whatever medication you’re looking for,” Ramsey says. TrumpRx.gov is also a resource for comparing prices and finding special offers. As with paying out of pocket, using these third-party sites does not count toward your Medicare deductible or out-of-pocket maximums.
Spread out-of-pocket costs across the calendar year through Medicare’s Prescription Payment Plan. Instead of paying upfront, you’ll get a monthly bill from your health or pharmacy plan. There are no extra fees for using it, only the cost of your medications.
Federal Government Programs
Through Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government provides prescription drug coverage to lower-income Americans. The Veterans Health Administration does the same for veterans by offering low, fixed copayments for drugs.
Medicaid and CHIP
Medicaid, a federal and state program for eligible low-income individuals and families, provides full prescription drug coverage at low or no cost. CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, provides the same for children, including those in families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but don’t have private insurance.
Medicare
“The Medicare Part D program, which covers those prescription drugs you pick up at the pharmacy, has a new out-of-pocket cap that maybe a lot of people aren't necessarily aware of,” Purvis says. Before the cap, there was no limit to out-of-pocket costs. “We'd hear about people spending upwards of $10,000 per year. As of this year, your out-of-pocket costs are limited to $2,100. So that's a really big, important change, where people have some sense of security that they're not going to be spending indefinitely,” she adds.
Medicare’s Extra Help program helps Americans with limited incomes pay Medicare Part D premiums, deductibles, copays, and other out-of-pocket costs. In 2026, Part D premiums and deductibles cost nothing through the Extra Help program. Generic drugs cost $5.10 or less, and brand-name drugs cost up to $12.65. Once your drug costs reach that $2,100 cap — even if you’re receiving help to pay for prescription costs — you’ll pay nothing for covered medicines.
Some people qualify for Extra Help automatically including those:
- Who have Medicaid with full benefits
- Who get state assistance in paying their Medicare Part B premiums
- Who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits
For everyone else, there are resource and income limits for the program, which may change annually. For 2026, these limits are:
| Who Is Qualifying | Income (including alimony, annuities, job earnings, pensions, rental income, Social Security and veterans benefits, worker’s comp) | Resources (including checking, savings, and retirement accounts and stocks and bonds; your home, car, and household items don’t count) |
| Individuals | $23,940 | $18,090 |
| Married couples | $32,460 | $36,100 |
The income limits are different for those living in Alaska and Hawaii. And Extra Help isn’t available in U.S. territories — Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa. Residents of these places have other options and should contact their State Medical Assistance offices to learn what those are.
State Government Programs
At least 48 states and Washington, D.C., have what are called State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, or SPAPs, which help certain residents with the cost of their prescription meds. What’s covered under these programs varies by state. For example, some states cover residents who don’t qualify for Medicare, and others pay for medicines for chronic conditions or help pay for prescriptions for people with HIV or AIDS.
Some states function as “qualified SPAPs” that receive extra federal funds to help pay prescription costs that Medicare Part D doesn’t cover. Others offer discount programs in addition to SPAPs, a type of “buying club” through which they purchase large quantities of prescription meds at a discount and then pass the savings on to their residents.
Drug Manufacturer Programs
Some pharmaceutical companies have patient assistance programs (PAPs) that “will give you access to their products for a lot less or even for free if you can qualify,” Purvis says. Sometimes, this comes in the form of limited quantities of prescription meds to people with demonstrated financial need. Other companies have programs for people without insurance, or for those whose insurance doesn’t cover the full cost. Some programs only offer discounts. You can find lists of drugs eligible for PAPs on drugmakers’ websites, third-party websites, or at Medicare.gov.
The National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp tool is another resource, Ramsey says. “Our benefits checkup tool on benefitscheckup.org allows people to go in and fill out information about what they're looking for,” he explains. “It can help them connect with federal and local resources. You can also get connected to the Extra Help application through that tool as well.”
Nonprofit and Charity Programs
“In terms of nonprofits, there are patient assistant programs that can also help you find less expensive access to prescription drugs,” Purvis says. Even if you already have insurance, these nonprofit organizations may be able to help. There are more than 200 patient assistance funds available through major charitable organizations, according to SIRUM, a nonprofit program that works to keep unopened, unexpired medicines from going to waste. SIRUM collects surplus medicines from people and organizations, then distributes them to community organizations to give to people in need. Like some other nonprofits, SIRUM also operates its own pharmacy, where eligible patients can purchase a 90-day supply of a variety of generic meds at very low cost.
The Patient Advocate Foundation’s TotalAssist program provides financial assistance to eligible patients having treatment for more than 150 chronic and serious diseases. It can cover out-of-pocket costs such as copays and deductibles for prescription drugs not fully covered by insurance. To use it, find the fund that covers your disease, check your eligibility, and apply online or by phone. You can submit claims, track payments, and manage your account, similar to an insurance provider. If you’re approved, you may be able to access funds the same day.
Other Things to Consider
Do some homework to help save money
“I think the most important thing, beyond talking to your health care providers about alternatives, is also being mindful about your health care coverage,” Purvis says. “And this applies to whether you have private coverage through your employer or you're on Medicare.” Ramsey agrees and recommends reviewing options during your yearly open enrollment period. “Do your plan comparisons on an annual basis to make sure that you find the plan that suits your needs the best and costs you the least overall for the year,” he says.
“One thing we know for sure, especially in the Medicare space, is there can be a lot of changes from year to year,” Purvis says. Your prescription meds may no longer be covered, or they may cost more. “So it's really important for people to stay mindful of what they need in the coming year because that is probably the best way to make sure that you have more affordable access to those drugs that you are taking,” she says.
Don’t rely on the advice or experiences of family and friends
“There is no such thing as a best plan or a perfect plan. There is a best plan for your particular needs. What's best for a family friend or even a spouse is not going to be what's best for me because we have different needs, especially when it comes to our prescriptions,” Ramsey says.
Keep track of all the meds you’re taking
The advantage to using a single pharmacy is that someone is keeping track of all the medicines you’re taking and how they do or don’t interact with one another. As you’re shopping around for better deals, “you want to make sure someone has an eye on the big picture,” Purvis says. “If you're taking a lot of prescription drugs, and you're going to a lot of different pharmacies, you want to make sure you're not going to run into any safety issues by not having anyone keep an eye on the big picture.”
The bottom line? Don't be afraid to look into the options available to you to lower your prescription drug costs. There are multiple ways to save money, and you can use this guide to begin.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: DigitalVision/Getty Images
SOURCES:
Leigh Purvis, prescription drug policy principal, AARP Public Policy Institute.
Ryan Ramsey, associate director of health coverage and benefits, National Council on Aging.
Blood Cancer Journal: “The high cost of prescription drugs: causes and solutions.”
Demography: “Life Course Patterns of Prescription Drug Use in the United States.”
Harvard Health Publishing: “Why many generic drugs are becoming so expensive.”
KFF: “Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices.”
Medicare.gov: “Help with drug costs,” “What’s the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?”
National Council of State Legislators: “State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs.”
National Council on Aging: “Prescription Help from States and Drug Manufacturers.”
Patient Advocate Foundation TotalAssist: “How TotalAssist Helps You.”
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker: “How do prescription drug costs in the United States compare to other countries?”
SIRUM: “About Us,” “Prescription Assistance Programs: Ultimate Guide 2026.”
