Here’s How to Save As Much As $2000 on Your Prescriptions With GoodRx
Editor’s note: It’s been nearly two years since we wrote this post, but it remains the case that consumers regularly go to the pharmacy and are quoted very high prices for prescription drugs, especially prescription drugs that aren’t available as a generic. The good news is that GoodRx continues to offer consumers very meaningful savings. Based on data comparing the total amount paid for their prescriptions by users of our coupons to the retail cash prices charged by the pharmacies for those same prescriptions, we saved consumers over 70% in 2020.
Picture this: You go to the pharmacy to pick up a generic medication (the affordable version of a brand drug that your doctor swore would be affordable), only to be quoted over $1,000 for a 30-day supply.
Sounds bad, right? Unfortunately, this happens more often than you would think.
In this scenario, that thousand dollar quote from the pharmacy would likely be the cash price. This is the price you’d pay if you didn’t have insurance, or if you had insurance but were in the deductible phase of your plan. High-deductible health plans that require patients to pay more out of pocket before coverage kicks in are unfortunately becoming more common, leaving many people exposed to the high cash prices of their prescription drugs.
Luckily, a GoodRx coupon can help you save—almost $2,000 per prescription in some cases. But how do you use GoodRx? You can print out, email, or text coupons to yourself from goodrx.com. You can also access them on the GoodRx mobile app.
If you have insurance and your plan covers your medication, you may still want to check prices on GoodRx. In many cases, the price you’d pay out of pocket with a GoodRx coupon can be cheaper than insurance copays. Don’t forget to save your receipt! You can try submitting a claim for reimbursement to your insurance company or ask them to apply your cash payment to your deductible. Here’s how to do that.
Remember: It’s always smart to check the GoodRx price for your medication before you pay for it at the pharmacy. It’s especially true for the following drugs.
| Medication | Quantity | Lowest GoodRx price | Average cash price | Amount saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voriconazole | 60 tablets, 200 mg each | $265.01 | $2,329.55 | $2,064.54 |
| Linezolid | 20 tablets, 600 mg each | $49.31 | $1,813.17 | $1,763.86 |
| Entecavir | 30 tablets, 0.5 mg each | $62.90 | $981.66 | $918.76 |
| Riluzole | 60 tablets, 50 mg each | $77.69 | $994.65 | $916.96 |
| Tenofovir | 30 tablets, 300 mg each | $30.65 | $838.85 | $808.20 |
| Modafinil | 30 tablets, 200 mg each | $34.00 | $789.01 | $755.01 |
| Aripiprazole | 30 tablets, 5 mg each | $17.54 | $755.01 | $737.47 |
| Vancomycin | 40 capsules, 125 mg each | $131.21 | $828.19 | $696.98 |
| Mycophenolate | 120 tablets, 500 mg each | $44.26 | $688.57 | $644.31 |
| Claravis | 60 tablets, 40 mg each | $197.14 | $837.20 | $640.06 |
| Acyclovir | 30 g tube of ointment | $77.37 | $640.92 | $563.55 |
| Mesalamine DR | 120 tablets, 1.2 g each | $348.35 | $891.89 | $543.54 |
| Armodafinil | 30 tablets, 250 mg each | $37.22 | $564.17 | $526.95 |
| Methylphenidate ER | 30 tablets, 72 mg each | $200.45 | $668.00 | $467.55 |
| Tetracycline | 56 capsules, 500 mg each | $157.81 | $455.16 | $297.35 |
| Sildenafil | 30 tablets, 20 mg each | $12.72 | $228.27 | $215.55 |
| Duloxetine | 30 tablets, 60 mg each | $13.47 | $153.23 | $139.76 |
| Venlafaxine ER | 30 tablets, 150 mg each | $12.87 | $100.53 | $87.66 |
| Escitalopram | 30 tablets, 20 mg each | $8.65 | $83.85 | $75.20 |
| Eliquis | 60 tablets, 5 mg each | $448.12 | $516.37 | $68.25 |
| Atorvastatin | 30 tablets, 40 mg each | $8.25 | $74.72 | $66.47 |
| Amphetamine salt combo | 60 tablets, 20 mg each | $28.84 | $92.21 | $63.37 |
– – –
Co-contributor: Clement B. Feyt, MPH
Methodology: We looked at drugs that had the biggest cash- versus GoodRx-price discrepancy, and for the purposes of this chart, pulled the average cash price and best GoodRx coupon for the exact form, dose, and quantity of those drugs. The data above is based on claims from a representative sample of U.S. prescription fills from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. The best GoodRx price was pulled from the website on July 29, 2019.
