FREE prescription cards

When my insurance had a ridiculous co-pay on Celebrex I got it for less from Canada Drugs. Now with a generic I pay $25.00 for a 90 day supply of the cheap imitation and it works.

I take a number of Rx's and so far have found it impossible, with the ones I take, to find a Part D plan that has all of them in the formulary. So with drugs not on the formulary, I use GoodRX. With all apologies to the 'small town pharmacist' mentioned above, I do find substantial discounts via GoodRX on these drugs. I use national chain pharmacies where my online profile follows me as I travel. I do find that the discount varies from chain to chain, i.e., drug A discount better at chain B and drug B discount better at chain A but all better than the cash price. With my current Part D plan ( Humana/Walmart), one drug is cheaper by 70% using GoodRx over the Part D coverage. So I think there probably is no one correct answer.

If you have numerous scripts that are expensive, it pays to check each one out using your Part D and your discount card at various pharmacies and pick the plan and pharmacy for each drug that best fits. With the proliferation of pharmacies normally within a mile or so radius of each other, multiple stops at multiple pharmacies using the plan that works best for each drug, can save big $. Last week alone, a pharmacy charged a drug to my Part D and, knowing via my GoodRX app, that GoodRX discount was better at the pharmacy, I had them re-ring it up on GoodRX and saved $240 for a one month supply.

And with all due respect to fla-gypsy, GoodRX is in fact free to the consumer and has significant benefit with some purchases. With zero cost to the consumer for this free card, there really is no risk and their app is quick enough to use even while checking out at the pharmacy and it is easy to just show your screen to the pharmacist showing the best discounted price available in whatever town you're in and most times you'll get a price match. If you don't and the difference is large enough, fill the script somewhere else.

On edit: If your drug cost are such that you will go thru the Part D gap and back into Part D coverage, you do need to be aware that monies you pay for drugs using the discount card or cash (in effect Rx's you buy outside of the Part D ins), those monies will not count as far as getting you through the gap and back into coverage. In that event, you need to make advance calculations based on your assumed prescription costs as to whether it benefits you to take the card discounts and not get through the gap or to use a more expensive Part D coverage but get through the gap faster. If using a discount card delays one from clearing the gap or clearing it more slowly, then there is a possibility that the card may be more costly (not due to the fault of the discount card but due to the wording of Part D legislation that doesn't recognize out of pocket expenses not paid through Part D as a qualifying gap payment. Once again, lawmakers and regulators getting in the way of free enterprise.

Thanks for the replies folks. As stated earlier, the DW and I each take ONLY 1 scrip, and both are relatively inexpensive, so not a big deal. When I see something FREE that saves money, I want to better understand the situation. What little I have learned is that pharmacies make a small payment to these companies as they are viewed by them as gatekeepers. The 2 scrips I priced thru 1 of these companies provided NO savings, BUT a price increase for one. I guess it makes sense for the pharmacy to pay gatekeeper fees if the card allows them to charge more.

Corky, I attended many FL SHIP programs with my late brother in law
in 2010, the year before he turned 65. Prescription drug coverage was a key issue for him. Celgene's 'Revlamid' was VERY expensive and SHIP helped him immensely to find the right part D coverage. I strongly believe that state Medicare SHIP programs are a must for those approaching Medicare age, and those contemplating making changes within open enrollment.

And thanks for the welcome to Medicare wish. We've been private payers for 9+ years now, and have felt the financial pain from ACA.

Go to www.medicare.gov and order a copy of "Medicare and You". Read it until you understand it. Check with your local area senior services agency (this is a state/county office) for seminars or individual counseling sessions they may offer on picking the right plans for you. DO NOT go to sessions sponsored by insurance companies. They are selling something. As a former medical office billing clerk I have seen a lot of misery caused by having the wrong Medicare plans. Advice you receive on RV forums is not always reliable.

Go to the gov social security site. STAY AWAY from direct mail!!
https://www.ssa.gov/

There are NUMEROUS options for prescription plans that are legit and pharmacies honor them. There are also many discount and zero pay plans depending on what you qualify for.

There is a LOT of this info on the SS site. The gov doesn't openly advertise these options you have to LOOK for them on the gov site. And then you have to apply for them. Start reading thru it all now.

A lot of reading and a bit confusing but take the time now to read thru it all. I did and I now am saving hundreds of dollars a month on prescriptions.

IMHO I would not subscribe and/or use any of those direct mail so-called discount cards. Most are bogus and sell your personal info all over the place never to be able to get it back. AARP being one of the worst offenders. :R

I received the same ones a couple years ago. Took to my pharmacist friend to see how much savings I could get. He told me there is no discount with them.

He is a small town pharmacy, so you might ask at a larger pharmacy (Walgreens, Wal Mart, etc)

Welcome, in advance, to the "over the hill gang" (aka 65+)!

If you do not have any other prescription plans, the cards might help on any drugs which are not covered on your plan. such as Ambien.

Well nothing is free. Be wary