6 Ways to Pay for Meds & possibly by-pass the Donut hole

[craigrmorrison]

Prescription medications often times make up the majority of a Medicare recipients out of pocket costs.

Whether you have a Part D drug or Part C MediCare Advantage plan, most of us face the challenge of how to pay for RX, including navigating the “Donut Hole”

Budgeting for these expenditures has always been a challenge.

However, planning for the funding of these medical expenses can prove beneficial to those that take the time to be savvy.

Here are some remedies I hope you find useful. Please contact me if you need a question answered.

Consider these sources when you next fill a presentation:

Ask for samples from your doctor
Check for manufacturer discounts
Price GoodRx
Canadian Pharmacy
Direct Primary Care membership
Use your MediCare policy benefits

[BrendaF]

https://costplusdrugs.com/ This can be added this to the list.

[Djean1981]

What's a legit Canadian Pharmacy site?

[bagboy]

What's a legit Canadian Pharmacy site?

I use this Canadian Pharmacy for an expensive med I take that is not available here in generic form. It was recommended on this forum and is 100% legit and great to deal with. Keep in mind, not all meds are cheaper in Canada.

Register Account (https://www.canadianpharmacyservice.com/register)

[Djean1981]

Thank you

[Madelaine Amee]

What's a legit Canadian Pharmacy site?

I have two drugs that put me in the donut hole really early. My doctor suggests his patients use

Discount Prescription Drugs Online | Pharmstore.com (https://www.pharmstore.com/)

They do a huge business here in TV and very easy to deal with. I am on Eliquis and a very expensive BP med. Get both through Pharmstore. My BP drug alone is almost $45 per month, I can buy it made in Canada for $50 for 100 pills. It's a no brainer.

[kaydee]

I’ve recently learned that The Villages Pharmacy can get my inhaler for $15.00 less than what I’ve been paying at Publix. The facility I’m now using is located in Spruce Creek Shopping Center across from Walmart on 441

[Alie222]

What's a legit Canadian Pharmacy site?

I use Best Online Pharmacy | Buy Prescription Drugs Online - ReliableRx Pharmacy (https://www.reliablerxpharmacy.com/) for Retin A ($5 a tube instead of $90) They have many options that you need a prescription for in US but don't need one in Canada, or are much more expensive in US

[Blackbird45]

I've been with United Heath for a long time now and my agent went over each one of my wife's medications and priced them out. She pinpointed two and told me that if I paid for these two through Good RX there might be a change that either I could avoid going into the donut hole or if I did that I would not go in and out. That this would actually reduce my out-of-pocket expense at the end of the year.

[rsmurano]

I have a drug supplement plan outside of Medicare that costs me < $20 a month. Most of the time if I want to buy locally, my prices at Walmart are 1/10 the price compared to Walgreens/cvs for the same drug. But, I have 1 expensive drug that costs me $500 for a 90 day supply at Walmart. If I use my supplements insurance online pharmacy, the same 90 day supply costs me < $250, which is cheaper than my doctor found using a Canadian source. Another benefit using My insurance companies online pharmacy is that they automatically ship my drugs to me a week before my drug runs out, no need to drive to pick them up

[paulat585]

I have a drug supplement plan outside of Medicare that costs me < $20 a month. Most of the time if I want to buy locally, my prices at Walmart are 1/10 the price compared to Walgreens/cvs for the same drug. But, I have 1 expensive drug that costs me $500 for a 90 day supply at Walmart. If I use my supplements insurance online pharmacy, the same 90 day supply costs me < $250, which is cheaper than my doctor found using a Canadian source. Another benefit using My insurance companies online pharmacy is that they automatically ship my drugs to me a week before my drug runs out, no need to drive to pick them up
What is the name of your "drug supplement plan outside Medicare?" I have two high cost drugs, only one of which I can get in Canada. Thanks

[maxfl1]

I paid about $67 at Walgreen for eye drops, Tier 2, 3 month supply. My Cigna drug plan provider (I'm on original medicare A/B) sent me a notice that I could order from them through the mail and it would cost about $37. Made the switch after talking to an agent on the phone. Have use GoodRx on occasion in the past and was pleased. I like all the suggestions = do your research.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Anyone using alendrontin (generic Fosomax) should definitely check with Publix for pricing. My Florida Blue PPO said it'd be a $30 per MONTH co-pay - for FOUR pills (one per week). I checked with Walgreen's, and they wanted something like $22 for a month's worth. I brought a GoodRx coupon to Publix expecting it'd be $18 for 3 months, and they only charged me $7 for 3 months worth.

I even questioned it - they said their supplier and their pricing is less than GoodRx's coupon. So that's what I got. Woo!

[lpruettusa]

If you have Amazon, Amazon Pharmacy is included as well as free 2-day delivery. One drug was $24 at Amazon versus $57 through my health care provider. It was also cheaper than GoodRX.

GoodRX is sometimes cheaper and, as you know if you've used GoodRX, the price varies from pharmacy to pharmacy. For example Rosuvastatin (for cholesterol), in Virginia runs from $7.15 at Safeway to $41.16 at CVS and Target with other pharmacies in between. I get that one through my health care provider for free.

There are similar free prescription services (i.e., coupon code) and sometimes that are also better than GoodRX and, again, is varies from pharmacy to pharmacy. Some of the alternatives are:
WellRX
RXsaver
Singlecare.com
Blink Health
OPTUM Perks

Search the internet for " Best Prescription Discount Cards" and you will find several places (like verywellhealth) that give their ratings of the services and the pros and cons of each.

Which prescription coupon service is best will vary for each prescription and then by pharmacy. I've used 2 or 3 different coupon services because of that.

[Dana1963]

My part D provider dropped Walmart had to switch to Walgreens, CVS, or Publix went from $37, 90 day supply to $4