How to get name brand medication for cheap!

Generic medication is not always cheaper. Yep, you read that right, generic prescription medications are not always cheaper than the name brand medication.

Now you are probably thinking,"Christy you are wrong I have seen the prices compared, generic is definitely cheaper." You are right in the fact that the retail price of generic is almost always cheaper than the retail price of name brand meds.

However many times you can get a deep discount on name brand medications (especially newer meds) because the company wants you on their medication. Here is how to find out this info and get a discount on your medication**.

1. Find out if your insurance covers the name brand medication. You can find out this info by either calling your insurance or checking to see if they have a “price my medication” option on their website.

2. Once you determine if it is covered, or not, go to the medication’s website. Once on the website you want to look for a page that says something about savings…. Often it says “savings and support” or “need help paying for your prescription” or “copay assistance”. Once there, this page should provide all the info you need. Most companies have two different programs which is why it is important to know whether or not your insurance covers the med.

3. If your insurance covers your medication you want to look for the company’s copay assistance program. This program you use in conjunction with your insurance and the company pays for a portion of your copay. These programs vary a lot between companies but I have personally had copay assistance programs bring my cost anywhere between $0-$30. Most of the time you just have to fill out a quick questionnaire and are immediately accepted and provided a copay assistance card. This card contains all the information you need to give your pharmacy. It is important to tell the pharmacy that it is a copay assistance card and is to be ran after your insurance.

4. If your insurance doesn’t cover the medication you may be eligible for an assistance program that offers the medication for cheap or free. These programs typically are a bit complicated to get started with, however, can be extremely helpful. Often these programs have stricter requirements. You typically have to be in a certain income bracket, have commercial insurance or no insurance, and provide proof that your insurance will not cover the medication. Some require you to show proof that you attempted to appeal insurance’s decision to deny the medication.

Medications can be super expensive and it is daunting when you are prescribed a really expensive prescription. Before you ask for a different med or decide not to take it, make sure you look into these programs. Remember to always check GoodRX for generic medications too to see if they have any cheaper deals than your insurance.

*One important thing to note is that with most, if not all of these programs, you are not eligible if you are on medicare or medicaid. So be sure to read the requirements before applying.

Disclaimer-

All information provided on this blog is for educational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare provider and/or your insurance provider for your specific situation. This blog does not offer medical advice.