There’s a 2 in 3 chance you’re overpaying for your prescription – because you’re using your insurance.
We’re talking about hundreds of dollars a year. Perhaps the biggest price is when people simply walk away empty-handed because they can’t afford the medication – which happens a lot more than you might think.
Why? The main reason is the convoluted health care system where pharmacies are often owned by the same companies that control medication pricing. So patients can get pushed toward a more expensive drug to drive up revenue, or toward a pharmacy’s preferred “savings card” like GoodRx.
At the same time, there are manufacturer’s discounts offered by drugmakers that can drive prices down to zero or close to it – but awareness is so low that most eligible people never see savings.
Even the people who realize they are being overcharged are often powerless because it is so difficult to navigate the system of rebates, discounts and insurance plans and figure out the best price – then advocate for themselves at the pharmacy checkout counter.
The reason people pay more is because they simply do not know there are other options and that doctors have the ability to advocate for you on your behalf to get you the lowest price.
That’s why we started RxLink, because it does all that for you every time you get a prescription. Your doctor’s office sends you the link to the savings options we find and you’re all set – all the information goes straight to your pharmacy.
It sounds almost too good to be true, but we’re growing because:
1. Doctors like it because it increases prescription adherence
2. Drugmakers like it because it increases sales by ensuring prescriptions are actually purchased
3. Patients like it because they save money and are more likely to get better by filling their medicine
The health care system can be terrifying, but there are more tools out there than you might think to help.