The GoodRx Effect: Research Methodology

GoodRx helps people with and without insurance save on medications they need. And the impact goes beyond consumers’ pocketbooks. By improving medication access and affordability, GoodRx also benefits the health of millions of Americans, helping people stick to their medication regimens and achieve better health outcomes.

GoodRx Research is tracking our impact — the GoodRx Effect — on healthcare and well-being. Below, we'll overview the methodology for how we calculate out-of-pocket savings. Our 2024 GoodRx Effect white paper details the methodology behind the other impact areas.

Reducing out-of-pocket costs

We calculated average GoodRx savings relative to retail prices as the total percent GoodRx savings relative to retail prices for prescriptions filled using GoodRx from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

We calculated cumulative GoodRx savings off retail prices as the total GoodRx savings relative to retail prices for prescriptions filled using GoodRx from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2024.

We calculated the number of Americans who saved with GoodRx in 2024 as the total number of unique GoodRx users who filled a prescription using GoodRx from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

Helping improve health outcomes

We calculated the number of healthcare professionals with a patient who used GoodRx in 2024 as the number of unique prescribers who wrote a prescription that was filled using GoodRx from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

We calculated GoodRx savings relative to retail prices for Medicare beneficiaries using the same methodology above, for the subset of GoodRx users 65 years of age and older at the time the prescription was filled.

In our 2024 GoodRx Effect white paper, which used data through September 30, 2023, we detailed the methodology for calculating:

• Average GoodRx savings by chronic condition

• Improved medication adherence

• Improved health outcomes

• Savings to the healthcare system

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Amanda Nguyen, PhD

Dr. Nguyen is a health economist with a passion for creating actionable knowledge out of data. An expert in economic modeling and econometrics, she works to investigate and demystify pressing issues in healthcare.

Edited by:

Tori Marsh, MPH

Tori Marsh is GoodRx’s resident expert on prescription drug pricing, prescribing trends, and drug savings. She oversees the GoodRx drug database, ensuring that all drug information is accurate and up to date.

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