If you care for an aging loved one, the rising cost of prescription medications might rank high on your list of worries. An estimated 89% of adults over age 65 take at least one prescription medication, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the cost for these drugs continues to climb. “Prescription drugs, compared to other health care costs, have risen rapidly for the last 10 years,” says Dr. Daniel Boyer, a physician and medical research specialist with The Farr Institute in Des Moines, Iowa.
Between 2019 and 2020, retail prices for 260 brand name prescription drugs increased nearly 3%, which is more than two times faster than the general rate of inflation. The average annual cost for just one brand name medication used on a regular basis is estimated at over $6,600.
To help aging loved ones save on medication costs, many have turned to prescription discount card programs. These services typically offer discount cards for specific pharmacies, as well as price comparisons and coupons for specific prescription medications. Here are six of the top rated prescription discount card programs for seniors, what to know before you sign up as well as other expert-approved tips.
How does a prescription discount card work?
Having a prescription discount card allows people to save money when paying out of pocket for prescriptions at a pharmacy. First, prescription discount companies negotiate pricing with the pharmacies in their networks. Then, they offer discount cards for a certain percentage taken off at a specific pharmacy or allow users to price shop for specific prescription medications to find the best coupon.
“Sometimes, the coupon is surprisingly cheaper than with insurance.”
— DR. EMALINE BROWN, NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN
Do prescription discount cards work with insurance?
Even though prescription discount cards require that you pay out of pocket, they’re not useless to the insured. If your older loved one has insurance, compare their copay to the rate they’d pay with a discount card before purchasing prescriptions, advises Dr. Emaline Brown, a naturopathic physician in San Diego. “Sometimes, the coupon is surprisingly cheaper than with insurance,” says Brown.
But remember: Even if a prescription discount card saves more money than insurance would, medication purchases made with these cards won’t count towards insurance deductibles or out-of-pocket limits.
6 popular prescription discount cards for seniors
Here are six of the most commonly used prescription discount cards for seniors, including what unique benefits they offer and how to access their best deals.
1. Good RX
Benefits
- Free mobile app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Accepted at over 70,000 pharmacies.
- Promises savings of up to 80%.
Cost
Good RX is free to use. There is also a paid membership called GoodRx Gold that promises additional discounts. It costs $5.99 per month for individuals and $9.99 per month for families.
How it works
Good RX users have the option to get a discount card for general pharmacy use or to search for discounts for individual prescriptions. Users can search for the names of specific medications using the website or app, compare prices and discounts at different pharmacies and select the coupon they’d like to use.
Brown says she refers uninsured patients to Good RX because it’s easy to use and gives them all the information they need to save money. “Their app is user-friendly, free and convenient for finding good cash prices for medications quickly,” she says.
2. SingleCare
Benefits
- Accepted at 35,000 pharmacies.
- Covers over 10,000 prescription medications.
- Ability to accumulate savings on future purchases.
- Offers home delivery on select prescriptions.
Cost
SingleCare is free to use. Users aren’t required to create an account on the website, but those who do sign-up can receive a $5.00 reward and be eligible for additional savings through the Bonus Savings program.
How it works
SingleCare allows users to search by prescription name and shows prices for the drug at local pharmacies in their area. They can select the discount they’d like to use, and choose to text themselves the coupon card, email it or print it. Users who prefer to stick with a certain pharmacy have the option of printing a SingleCare discount card for up to 80% off at that specific pharmacy.
What sets SingleCare apart is their benefits program called Bonus Savings. It allows registered users to earn money towards future prescription purchases every time they buy using SingleCare.
3. ScriptSave WellRX
Benefits
- Accepted at over 65,000 pharmacies.
- Free mobile app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Promises savings up to 65%.
- Covers over 12,000 prescriptions.
Cost
Free to use. Users have the option to create an account to access additional features, such as refill reminders and the Medicine Chest, where you can log the names of regular prescriptions.
How it works
Users can download the mobile app or search via the Well RX website to find discounts on specific prescriptions at local pharmacies. Once they’ve chosen a coupon to use, they can save, text or print the discount card and present it when they pick up their prescriptions.
4. Optum Perks
Benefits
- Accepted at 64,000 chain and local pharmacies.
- Free mobile app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Includes home delivery options.
- No sign-up required.
Cost
The app and website are free to use. Optum Perks does not offer user accounts, so no personal information is required.
How it works
The Optum Perks discount card can save users up to 80% off of retail prices at participating pharmacies. Users also have the option of searching for coupon cards for specific medications using the app or website. Coupons can be easily shared via text or email.
In addition to discounted prices, Optum Perks also has its own online store that offers free home delivery on select prescription medications. The Optum Store is a separate program that sells prescriptions at flat rates and doesn’t require additional coupons.
5. RX Saver
Benefits
- Free mobile app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Covers over 6,000 prescription medications.
- Accepted at most major pharmacies.
- No sign-up required.
Cost
RX Saver is free to use via the website or mobile app. A secondary program called RX Advocacy is available for $60 per month to help cover the costs of expensive medications for chronic conditions.
How it works
Rx Saver allows anyone to search their website or mobile app for specific prescription medications to find discounts at local pharmacies. Users can print or share the coupons. Rx Saver also offers a pharmacy discount card that can be used instead of single-use discounts. This card promises to save users up to 85%.
Boyer points out that one of the major benefits of Rx Saver is that it offers an additional program. For high cost medications, such as insulin, users can enroll in RX Advocacy. This program allows users to access low-cost or free medications for a monthly membership fee of $60.
6. BuzzRx
Benefits
- Free mobile app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Accepted at 60,000 pharmacies.
- Has a bonus nonprofit donation program.
Cost
Free to use. Discount cards can be sent in the mail if user information is provided, printed at home or used in the app.
How it works
Upon sign-up, BuzzRx offers a free prescription discount card that promises to help users save up to 80%. Users can also search prescription names on the website or app to price shop at local major pharmacies.
What makes BuzzRx unique is that it also allows users to select a nonprofit organization to support, such as the ASPCA, the Make-A-Wish Foundation or regional food banks. BuzzRx donates $1 to the chosen organization every time their card is used, at no additional cost to the user.
What else can I do if I can’t afford medications?
If you have insurance or prescription discount cards don’t sound like the right option for your loved one, there are some other ways to try to save money on prescriptions.
Join a loyalty program at a local pharmacy
Local pharmacies may have their own loyalty card or program that can help you get discounted pricing or earn savings on future purchases. “Local [programs] may allow you to save more money, support small business and not risk having personal information sold to marketing companies,” says Chi Patel, a pharmacist and the owner of Carolina Pharmacy in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Ask your provider for a generic alternative if appropriate.”
— DR. BROWN
Talk to the doctor
The price of prescriptions can depend on the form of the medication, such as whether it’s an ointment or a cream and the dose or concentration. If cost is an issue, have your loved one ask their doctor if there are any prescription changes that can be made, says Brown.
“Pharmacies dispense generic medications unless told to do otherwise, but sometimes certain medications or even medication concentrations are only available by brand name,” says Brown. “Ask your provider for a generic alternative if appropriate.”
Find manufacturer coupons
“Search for manufacturer coupons online or ask your pharmacy to help you with them,” says Patel. Not all pharmacies accept these, so be sure to check with your preferred pharmacy first.
Work with the pharmacist
“Call around,” says Patel. “Speak to the pharmacists in your area about your medications, costs and what’s important to you about your medications.”
Patel says independent pharmacies like his can sometimes do more to help their customers find discounts, coupons or other ways to save. “If you cannot afford your medicines every month, then we cannot help you improve your health,” he says. “We want to do everything we can to find a solution for your personal and financial situation.”
