Cut Prescription Costs: 13 Easy Ways to Bring Prices Down

One of the most common requests you can make is for a generic version of a brand medication. If you need the brand, ask whether the office has any free samples to get you started while you look for ways to lower the prescription's cost. Another possibility is to ask if a change in dosage or frequency would be less costly and just as effective, Niles says, but don't try to make these changes on your own. Check with your doctor to see if there are any over-the-counter alternatives. You can also see if a drug you've been taking has moved from prescription to nonprescription status at the FDA.

Find out if your doctor's office has a nurse navigator or a staff member who can help you understand your out-of-pocket costs and find less expensive solutions. "It's very time-consuming to figure this all out. The job of a nurse navigator to find resources and make sure you have what's needed," Niles says.

2. Look Into Drugmaker Patient Assistance Programs

Makers of many brand-name prescription drugs offer coupons or copay/discount cards to offset your out-of-pocket costs. You can find them on a drug's website. Some bring down the price significantly. However, you're not eligible if you're on Medicare or Medicaid because of a federal law. Usually, these programs last for one year but might be eligible for renewal.

3. Explore Prescription Benefit Manager Options

Do some investigating on the website of your insurance company or the provider of your drug benefits like Express Scripts, OptumRx, and Caremark. Look for the tool that calculates drug prices. Enter the name of the drug and the dose, and you'll see the cost at area drugstores as well as through mail order. Often, a three-month mail order supply will be cheaper than buying monthly, Niles says. Note that if your insurance company has a preferred pharmacy, filling your prescriptions there will be less expensive than at other pharmacies.

4. Download Rx Discount Apps

Apps like GoodRx, Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs, SingleCare, and WellRx may help you get your prescription drug directly from a pharmacy at a discounted price. They also let you see prices at different pharmacies and even supermarkets in your area so you can find the lowest one. These apps can be a helpful alternative if you have a high deductible, don't have insurance, or if the drug isn't covered by your insurance. One important thing to keep in mind is that when you go outside of insurance with an app, the cost won't count toward your deductible. Whether that matters for you depends on how much your medications cost every year and whether you will reach your deductible. "It's a personal decision," Niles says.

5. Price-Check Direct-to-You Pharmacies

Operators of these nontraditional direct-to-consumer pharmacies run the gamut from big-box stores like Walmart and Costco to online companies like Amazon. As with discount apps, the money you spend won't count toward your deductible. But these pharmacies can provide savings on brand-name drugs for people with insurance as well commonly used generic drugs for people with high deductibles or who are uninsured. Since costs may vary from one company to another, you'll want to shop around on their websites. Pharmacies with physical stores for pickup are best when you need a drug right away.

6. Investigate International Online Pharmacies

Many people don't know that using an international pharmacy is legal under certain conditions. The FDA lets you buy FDA-approved drugs internationally in up to a three-month supply as long as they're for your own use to treat a serious condition. A great way to locate and choose a reputable international pharmacy (as well as see the costs) is through PharmacyChecker (PharmacyChecker.com). This independent organization verifies and monitors the credentials of licensed international online pharmacies.

7. See if You Qualify for the Federal Extra Help Program

"If someone is on Medicare, I always recommend that they explore the Federal Medicare Part D Extra Help program," Niles says. "It's operated by the Social Security Administration, and if you are under the threshold for income and resources, you'll pay zero for your drug premium and deductible." Drug costs are capped at $4.50 for a generic and $11.20 for a brand-name drug. "Very few people know about Extra Help," Niles adds.

8. Check Your State's Pharmaceutical Assistance Program

State pharmaceutical assistance programs, or SPAPs, offer financial help to people who meet certain requirements. Coverage varies widely from state to state, but more than a dozen have their own versions of discount apps, among other sources of help. The programs are listed by state at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

9. Contact an Advocacy Group

Patient advocacy organizations provide support to individuals. The Patient Advocate Foundation, for one, is a great resource if you're underinsured, have commercial insurance, or are on a federal program like Medicare whose beneficiaries can't go directly to drugmakers. PAF has launched its most unique program to date, TotalAssist (totalassist.org), a patient assistance program representing nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity financial assistance funds.

TotalAssist supports people with a wide range of conditions, from cancer and rare diseases to chronic and complex illnesses. "If an individual qualifies for a grant — which means they have a disease, they've been prescribed a medication that is on our list, live in the United States or territories, are receiving treatment, and are at or below 500% of the federal poverty level — they can use it in a number of different ways," Niles says. These include medication copays, coinsurance, and deductibles; health insurance premiums; and office visit and administration charges the day of treatment. And you're able to decide how to use the money. "We put the decision-making in the hands of the patient because the patient is going to know best what they need that grant for."

Another resource developed by PAF isFundFinder (fundfinder.org), a free, web-based tool that tracks more than 200 patient assistance funds from charitable patient assistance organizations. Anyone can sign up for email or text alerts when a disease-specific fund opens at one of the organizations. All patient assistance is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to each individual organization's eligibility criteria. (Note that using the tool does not guarantee financial assistance.)

10. Spread Out Your Part D Payments

Even though the Medicare "donut hole" coverage gap has gone away, there's still a cap of $2,100 that you need to reach before Part D will pick up the rest of your Rx costs. "And it rises to $2,400 in 2027," Niles says. Although it doesn't reduce your costs, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread them out into monthly payments that may be more manageable for you and is available to anyone on Medicare. "You have to contact your insurer and opt in — you can't sign up at the pharmacy counter," she says. Once you opt in, your plan will send you a monthly bill for your out-of-pocket costs. "The earlier in the year you opt in, the more beneficial it will be because you have more months to spread those costs over."

11. Challenge a Denial

If your insurance denies coverage for a drug you need, you have the right to appeal. "The denial is often turned around," Niles says. "The problem is it may take time." Work with your doctor's office both to make the appeal and on what to do in the meantime.

The Patient Advocate Foundation has a case management program that can help, too. "We have case managers who try to make sure that the patient is enrolled in the benefits that they need and can also help manage the denial and appeal process. We have a lot of information on denials and appeals on our website. It's one of our most-used resources."

12. Review Your Rx Plan Annually

Whether you have private insurance or are on Medicare, make the time to compare drug plans each year. "Open enrollment for Medicare, which does not happen until early October, is really important, yet most people do not take time to evaluate their plan," Niles says. "People's needs change and costs change, so make sure your plan is meeting your treatment needs and meeting your budget."

To streamline the process for Part D, have a complete list of your medications, dosage handy, and how often you take them. Use the Medicare Plan Find Tool to enter all this information. You'll get a list of plans in your area and details on the premiums, cost of each drug, and the deductible. "Yes, it takes a little bit of time, but it's worth it in the long run," Niles says.

13. Learn About New Medicaid Changes Early On

Medicaid eligibility work requirements are changing in 2027, and it's important to contact your local Medicaid office to see what the requirements in your state will be, Niles says. "Some states have gotten a jump-start on implementing them, others are still planning. PAF is going to be doing a lot to encourage people not to wait till the last minute. We're concerned that many individuals are not aware that work requirements will be in place and what they may need to do to stay enrolled in Medicaid."