Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) is a free, confidential, online service that allows users to find medication cost assistance programs they may be eligible for.1 Patients search for available programs by entering their medications and filling out a brief questionnaire.1
Similarly, RxAssist is a free, online database of patient assistance programs.2 In RxAssist, patients search programs by entering one medication at a time.2 The site provides patients with a list of available programs, and patients must click into individual programs to view eligibility requirements.2
The National Council on Aging also has a free service that searches for cost assistance programs for adults 60 years of age and older.3 By entering zip code, birth month and year, monthly gross income, and marital status, the site generates a list of available programs.3
Needymeds.org allows users to search for prescription assistance programs by drug name and diagnosis.4 Needymeds also has a database of government and state-sponsored programs.4 In addition to a searchable database, Needymeds provides a database of local programs and individuals who help people apply for patient assistance programs.4
The website GoodRx.com provides information on drug pricing so that users can compare drug prices in their area.5 The website also provides pharmacy specific coupons.5 Goodrx coupons cannot be used with health insurance, though using the coupons may be cheaper than a co-pay.5 Goodrx is a free service and has even been cited by Consumer Reports in a report titled “Save Money on Meds: 9 Tips for Finding the Best Prescription Drug Prices.”5,6 Goodrx allows patients to compare and assess the costs of different formularies.5 For instance, a 30 day supply of lisinopril/HCTZ 20 mg/12.5 mg is at least half the price of individual 30 day supplies of lisinopril and HCTZ.5 Other drug combinations such as Vimovo (naproxen and esomeprazole) are substantially more expensive than their individual drugs.5 A 30 day supply of Vimovo 500mg/20mg costs approximately $2,300, while a 30 day supply of naproxen (500 mg) and esomeprazole (20 mg) ranges in price between $28 and $112.5 Patients can also reduce the cost of their medications by opting for the equally effective and cheaper generic version.7
References
- Get Prescription Help. Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) www.pparx.org. Accessed 11/10/17.
- Search Our Program Databases. RxAssist, Patient Assistance Program Center www.rxassist.org. Accessed 11/10/17.
- (NCOA) NCoA. Benefits Check Up. Find My Benefits, Benefits Check Up https://www.benefitscheckup.org.
- Prescription Assistance. Find help with the cost of medicine www.needymeds.org. Accessed 11/13/17.
- GoodRx Inc. Search for your prescription www.goodrx.com.
- Consumer Reports. Save Money on Meds: 9 Tips for Finding the Best Prescription Drug Prices. 2017; https://www.consumerreports.org/drugs/6-tips-for-finding-the-best-prescription-drug-prices/. Accessed 11/10/17.
- Haas JS, Phillips KA, Gerstenberger EP, Seger AC. Potential savings from substituting generic drugs for brand-name drugs: Medical expenditure panel survey, 1997–2000. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005;142(11):891-897.