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Medicare: Your GoodRx guide
Learn the ins and outs of Medicare with our comprehensive guide that covers eligibility, coverage, costs, and more.
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Common Medicare glossary terms
The Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is a letter for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans and anyone with Medicare Part D prescription coverage. People with Medicare Advantage or original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B) can have Part D plans. The ANOC informs enrollees about any changes to their benefits for the coming coverage year. By law, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans must send the ANOC to enrollees by September 30 — which is before the annual Medicare open enrollment period of October 15 to December 7. Even if you have the same plan, your benefits could change year to year.
A premium is the cost of having a health insurance plan and is usually paid monthly. Medicare enrollees may pay several premiums. Most people don’t pay anything for Part A hospital insurance, but some people do depending on how long they worked and paid taxes. For outpatient and preventive coverage, the Part B standard premium is $185 a month in 2025, but people with higher incomes pay more. Your premium for Medicare Advantage plans will vary, but even so-called “zero premium” plans require you to pay your Part B premium. Part D premiums range in price, but the average is about $47 a month in 2025. If you have original Medicare and a Medigap supplement plan, you have an additional premium for that coverage.
A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your Medicare plan begins cost-sharing. In 2025, the Part A deductible is $1,676 per benefit period. The Part B deductible is $257 for the year, but you can access certain preventive care — including some vaccines — without meeting your deductible. Medicare Advantage deductibles vary and your Part D deductible can’t exceed $590 in 2025.
Original Medicare has no annual out-of-pocket maximum. Medicare Advantage plans have out-of-pocket limits. In 2025, they are $9,350 for in-network covered services and $14,000 for in-network and out-of-network covered services combined.
Starting January 1, 2025, anyone with Part D coverage had the option to use the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan for their out-of-pocket medication costs instead of paying upfront at the pharmacy. This plan doesn’t provide savings, but allows you to spread prescription costs — including your deductible — over the year. Making payments can be particularly helpful for people who may skip or delay picking up prescriptions because of high costs early in the year. Also in 2025, the Part D out-of-pocket limit dropped to $2,000.
After a Medicare enrollee meets the Part D deductible (if the plan has one), the health insurance begins cost sharing. The initial coverage phase means you pay coinsurance or a copay for covered prescriptions.
When you reach the $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum, your Part D plan pays for 100% of covered medications for the rest of the year.
How to save on drugs with Medicare
Medicare Part D is the part of Medicare that helps cover prescription medications, including both brand name and generic. It also includes coverage for certain vaccines that aren’t covered by Part B, as well as some medical supplies.
Even with Medicare Part D coverage, you may still have out-of-pocket costs such as premiums, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. As of 2025, Medicare Part D plans include a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap. Once you reach this limit, your plan covers the full cost of your covered medications for the rest of the year.
Still, there are several ways to reduce your prescription medication cost. From GoodRx coupons to patient assistance programs, here are ways you can save money on the medications you need.
1. See if you qualify for Medicare’s Extra Help program
The Medicare Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy program is a federally funded program for people covered under a Medicare Part D plan. It helps reduce enrollees’ out-of-pocket costs by limiting their deductibles and copays. To qualify, your income and assets fall below a certain limit.
If you’re eligible, you may receive:
No monthly premiums for Medicare Part D
No Medicare Part D deductible
Low copays for prescription medications
2. Use GoodRx coupons
You can’t combine GoodRx coupons with Medicare, but you can choose to use a coupon instead of your insurance if it results in a lower price.
Here’s how to download a GoodRx coupon:
Go to the GoodRx website, or download the GoodRx app on your phone.
Search for your prescription medication.
Enter your prescribed dose and quantity, then set your location.
Compare prices across different pharmacies in your area.
Click “Find the lowest prices” or press “Enter.”
You can have the coupon sent by text or email, or print it out.
To apply the discount, show the coupon at the pharmacy when you fill your prescription. Ideally, this is done at drop-off before the prescription is filled.
3. Consider the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is a new program that can help make paying for medications more manageable. It’s open to anyone with a standalone Part D plan or those with Medicare Advantage plans that offer prescription medication coverage.
There is no cost to participate in the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan and participation is voluntary. Instead of paying for the total cost of your medications up front at the pharmacy, the payment plan allows you to spread the cost into smaller payments during the year. If you join, you will continue to pay your premium every month as well as an additional monthly amount on your payment plan. It’s a good idea to review how the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan works to determine if it’s right for you.
4. Compare Part D plans during open enrollment
Medicare open enrollment, which takes place every year from October 15 to December 7, is your chance to switch plans if another option offers better prescription medication coverage or lower costs. Plan costs and coverage details can change each year, so it’s important to review your options.
Here are some steps to help you compare plans:
Make a list of all your medications and what dosages you take.
Visit Medicare’s plan finder tool.
Enter the names of your prescription medications to see which plans offer the best coverage.
Look at premiums, deductibles, and medication costs for each plan. Plans usually change their formularies, premiums, and copays annually.
Check if your preferred pharmacy is in each plan's network.
5. Get a 90-day supply
Opting for a 90-day supply instead of a monthly refill of your medication might help reduce your long-term out-of-pocket costs. Many insurance plans offer lower copays or bulk pricing for 3-month prescriptions.
If your medication is covered under your plan, see if your insurer’s mail-order or specialty pharmacy provides savings on a 90-day supply. If they do, ask your prescriber to write a prescription for a 90-day quantity to take advantage of these potential savings.
6. Ask about the generic version of your medication
Some medications have a generic version, and they generally cost less than the brand-name prescriptions. Generic medications are just as safe and effective as brand-name medications, so it’s an option worth considering to reduce your cost. Ask your prescriber about switching to a generic version of your medication to save money.
7. Consider lower-cost alternative medications
There may be other medications that help manage your condition, and they may cost less. If your medication is costly or not covered by your insurance, talk to your prescriber about lower-cost alternatives that might be a good option for you. Alternatives might have better insurance coverage or lower costs.
8. Learn more about patient assistance programs
Patient assistance programs (PAPs) offer free or low-cost medications to uninsured and low-income consumers. These programs, which primarily offer savings on brand-name medications, are usually run by private pharmaceutical companies or nonprofit organizations. You must meet certain qualifications and complete paperwork to receive savings from PAPs. However, some PAPs exclude Medicare recipients, so it’s important to review the program’s rules and requirements carefully.
9. Check state-funded resources
Depending on where you live, your state may offer programs to help you navigate prescription medication costs. A good place to start is your local Department of Aging. This U.S. Department of Health and Human Services office can help you find the best Medicare plan for the coverage you need.
Some states even have their own cost-saving programs for older adults. For example, Pennsylvania runs PACE and PACENET. These programs help eligible residents get prescription medications at reduced costs.
Alternatively, you can find out if your state has a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program by using Medicare’s search tool. These programs are state-run and help qualifying residents pay for prescription medications.
10. Use a health savings account to pay for prescription medications
Although you can’t contribute to a health savings account (HSA) after enrolling in Medicare, you can still use any remaining funds in your account to pay for qualified medical expenses. An HSA allows you to use tax-free dollars to pay for eligible prescription medications. The money in your account does not expire so you can use your funds at any time to reduce your out-of-pocket medication costs.
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Frequently asked questions about Mesalamine dr
The exact dosage and duration of your Mesalamine dr treatment depends on your UC symptoms and how severe they are. It also varies depending on whether you're taking Mesalamine dr to treat UC symptoms or prevent flare-ups. The dosing schedule will also depend on the formulation or brand of Mesalamine dr that you're prescribed to take. For example, there are some situations where Mesalamine dr is taken specifically for 6 or 8 weeks. But there are other times where you'll continue to take the medication for as long as it's helping your gut problem and as long as the side effects are tolerable. Discuss with your provider about your dosage and how long you should take Mesalamine dr for your specific condition.
It can take a couple weeks for Mesalamine dr to relieve your UC symptoms. In separate studies for different oral forms of Mesalamine dr, people taking the medication had improvements in their UC symptoms after 6 or 8 weeks of treatment. Some people taking a higher dose of Mesalamine dr might see results as soon as within 2 weeks of treatment. Because it can take a couple weeks to see improvements, don't get discouraged, and continue to take the medication as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Make sure to check in with your provider about your UC symptoms and whether Mesalamine dr is helping.
In general, the best time you should take Mesalamine dr is a time when it's easy for you to remember. Certain forms of Mesalamine dr require you to take the medication once a day, three or four times a day, with meals, or without meals. For example, it's recommended to take Asacol HD delayed-release tablets three times a day on an empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). But Apriso extended-release capsules are taken once every morning with or without food. Check out the Pharmacist tips for more information on how to take each form or brand of Mesalamine dr. Ask your pharmacist or provider to help you come up with a medication schedule that works best for you.
No, Mesalamine dr isn't considered an immunosuppressant. It doesn't work by weakening the immune system to lower inflammation in the gut. Although Mesalamine dr doesn't suppress the immune system, there are many other medications for UC that can. Some examples include corticosteroids and Humira (adalimumab).
No, Mesalamine dr isn't a steroid. Instead, Mesalamine dr is a type of medication called an aminosalicylate. Both steroids and aminosalicylates lower swelling and inflammation, but they work slightly differently in the body to do so.
Weight gain wasn't one of the reported side effects of Mesalamine dr in clinical studies. Keep in mind that some people did report swelling of the body (possibly from fluid buildup in the body), which could appear as weight gain. Talk to your provider if you experience unexpected weight gain while you're taking Mesalamine dr. They can help figure out what might be causing your change in weight.
You should generally avoid taking Mesalamine dr with azathioprine (Imuran), mercaptopurine, or other medications that can cause blood problems; there might be a higher risk for blood problems if you take them together. Additionally, it's best not to take medications that can harm the kidneys, like nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Taking Mesalamine dr with these medications might raise your risk for kidney problems. For Apriso extended-release capsules, avoid taking the medication with antacids because they can affect how well Mesalamine dr gets absorbed into your body. Make sure your providers and pharmacists have your up-to-date medication list so they can check for drug interactions and recommend safer medications for you to take.
Many providers often prescribe Mesalamine dr to treat the inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn's disease (CD), even though it isn't FDA-approved for this purpose. This is known as an "off-label" use of Mesalamine dr. Using Mesalamine dr for Crohn's is controversial because studies haven't consistently found that the medication helps treat the gut condition well in most cases. In fact, the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines don't recommend using Mesalamine dr to treat adults with active Crohn's disease. Ask your healthcare provider whether Mesalamine dr is right for you if you have Crohn's disease.
