GoodRX

[Live And Learn]

While I have health insurance my dog does not. She has epilepsy and is on two different drugs. Using GoodRX for her has yielded very reasonable prices on her drugs. You have to call the pharmacy ahead to see if they will use the GoodRX coupon for pets (some don't - alot do). Wanted to share.

 

[Conundrum]

We get our dogs meds at Costco. Have you done a price comparison? GoodRX may be useful for me. Thanks

 

[MRG]

I have health insurance that's useless when it comes to formulary. My dogs have none.

Goodrx saves me hundreds on medication I need but my insurance won't cover. So in addition to the premiums, I pay $250 a month for needed medication.

Do you use Goodrx for flea, tick, heartworms meds or dual use meds.

 

[travelover]

My doc sent a prescription straight to Costco where I picked it up - $48. When I got home I found I could have gotten it for $12 with a GoodRx coupon at another pharmacy.



Still pissed.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Last week I refilled a prescription, and the pharmacist smugly said "that will be $127". Last month I had paid $25 for it at that same pharmacy, thanks to Goodrx. And so I showed them the Goodrx info again, and they reduced the price to $25 again. It makes me angry to think of the elderly customers who might not use the internet, who get taken advantage of by pharmacies/drug co's. I'm all for a reasonable profit margin, but 5X seems a bit greedy.

 

[CoolRich59]

My doc sent a prescription straight to Costco where I picked it up - $48. When I got home I found I could have gotten it for $12 with a GoodRx coupon at another pharmacy.



Still pissed.

Yeah, I had a similar learning experience. Now I just ask my doc for the old fashioned paper script. Then I go to my car and check prices on GoodRx on my phone.

 

[GrayHare]

How does GoodRx make these discounts happen?

 

[SteveNU]

Yeah, I had a similar learning experience. Now I just ask my doc for the old fashioned paper script. Then I go to my car and check prices on GoodRx on my phone.

Same here. My meds are $150 out of pocket if I submit to insurance or $27 if I just use GoodRX.

 

[MRG]

How does GoodRx make these discounts happen?

Here's an article about their model. I'm not sure of the source but it's a clearer description than many. They go into some of the discounts and reasons for their traffic but it's still a little fuzzy on detail.

https://www.quora.com/Does-GoodRX-have-a-viable-business-model

 

[Rustward]

Last week I refilled a prescription, and the pharmacist smugly said "that will be $127". Last month I had paid $25 for it at that same pharmacy, thanks to Goodrx. And so I showed them the Goodrx info again, and they reduced the price to $25 again. It makes me angry to think of the elderly customers who might not use the internet, who get taken advantage of by pharmacies/drug co's. I'm all for a reasonable profit margin, but 5X seems a bit greedy.

Just curious: Have you checked your mutual funds holdings to see if you own any of those pharmacies/drug co's either directly or indirectly?

 

[travelover]

Just curious: Have you checked your mutual funds holdings to see if you own any of those pharmacies/drug co's either directly or indirectly?

I don't see the relevance. Ripping people off is shameful whether you are wearing a mask, a white coat or a suit.

 

[explanade]

Here's an article about their model. I'm not sure of the source but it's a clearer description than many. They go into some of the discounts and reasons for their traffic but it's still a little fuzzy on detail.

https://www.quora.com/Does-GoodRX-have-a-viable-business-model

My doctor told me about GoodRX.

I went to the nearest Safeway to pick it up. They didn't even take the coupon and told me I wouldn't have to bring it again.

Then I got another prescription of the same drug, only for 3 months instead of just a month and again, they didn't bother with the coupon.

And they actually charged me a little less than the GoodRX price.

So this particular Safeway isn't remitting a commission back to GoodRX.

My doctor thinks it's some tech startup funded by VC money. So it may not be a sustainable model, perhaps something to enjoy while it lasts.

 

[Cessna152]

How does GoodRx make these discounts happen?

I think that is similar to asking how they make money, which they try to answer here:

https://support.goodrx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003617563-How-does-GoodRx-make-money-

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I don't see the relevance. Ripping people off is shameful whether you are wearing a mask, a white coat or a suit.

Indeed. I think it's shameful they are taking advantage of the most vulnerable among us.

 

[MRG]

Indeed. I think it's shameful they are taking advantage of the most vulnerable among us.

True very true. Anytime you can't find out what any product really costs there's an opportunity for unfair pricing.

It's ironic that illegal drug dealers have more ethics surrounding the price of their products.[emoji6]

 

[txtig]

I went on Medicare last December and I was very unhappy with my Part D Prescription Plan. I take seven drugs for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Under my old pre-65 Medical Plan from my previous employer, I was paying a little less than $100 for a 90 day supply. Under my new Medicare Part D Plan, those same drugs cost me about $350 for a 90 day supply! Plus a $375 deductible!

Well, when I saw this thread I checked GoodRX and I can buy these drugs for about $165 less than I've been paying through Medicare. Nice potential savings. I think I'll switch over next refill. I might also drop the Part D (save another $300), if I can pick it back up later if I need it.

 

[badatmath]

I used lowestmeds for the cat's meds. The site will show you which stores in your zipcode accept it and the price it would be once you enter the Rx info. Big difference between the prices at each store too!

 

[travelover]

........ I might also drop the Part D (save another $300), if I can pick it back up later if I need it.

Don't drop it, just go to the cheapest plan.

 

[sengsational]

Now I just ask my doc for the old fashioned paper script.

Doctors offices must get kickbacks or something because it's like pulling teeth to get them to generate the paper prescription nowadays. They put "your regular pharmacy" in their system. I asked that they remove the default pharmacy (so they'd be forced to use paper), but I couldn't even get them to remove it! Thankfully, I'm down to taking zero Rx prescriptions.

 

[athena53]

Don't drop it, just go to the cheapest plan.

Agreed- if you don't sign up or have a long lapse in coverage and then try to re-enroll (say, after you need a load of expensive prescriptions), you'll pay premium surcharges that will last the rest of your life. The idea is that you're gaming the system (and raising overall costs) for everybody by waiting till you have expensive prescriptions and then signing up. I'm on zero prescriptions right now and am enrolled in a very cheap plan.

 

[ivinsfan]

Doctors offices must get kickbacks or something because it's like pulling teeth to get them to generate the paper prescription nowadays. They put "your regular pharmacy" in their system. I asked that they remove the default pharmacy (so they'd be forced to use paper), but I couldn't even get them to remove it! Thankfully, I'm down to taking zero Rx prescriptions.

I think it's just easier and quicker...after my DH's recent sugery I was emailing his internist about a med and it literally showed up in my Walgreens app in real time.

 

[MRG]

Doctors offices must get kickbacks or something because it's like pulling teeth to get them to generate the paper prescription nowadays. They put "your regular pharmacy" in their system. I asked that they remove the default pharmacy (so they'd be forced to use paper), but I couldn't even get them to remove it! Thankfully, I'm down to taking zero Rx prescriptions.

It's called electronic medical records. Once you introduce paper you're back to the last century.

 

[travelover]

It's called electronic medical records. Once you introduce paper you're back to the last century.

Except the difference between a paper and an electronic prescription can be hundreds, even thousands of dollars since you can't easily shop it around. The prescribers could set it up so it was a pull system with an assigned prescription number and the filling pharmacy would pull it off their website.

 

[sengsational]

Yeah, if we're going to boast about getting computerized, how about the doctor submits it to my choice of a GoodRx-like service that shops it for me, finds the best price locally and by mail, and lets me pick the cheapest place, or whatever my criterion is.

 

[MRG]

Except the difference between as paper and an electronic prescription can be hundreds, even thousands of dollars since you can't easily shop it around. The prescribers could set it up so it was a pull system with an assigned prescription number and the filling pharmacy would pull it off their website.

I'm not arguing. I worked in the field(electronic records) once you allowed a single piece of paper you have comprised one big promise of EMR.

I was surprised when DW received a prescription for hydrocodone recently. No paper! I really thought those scripts still needed paper to back them. Guess not, she had two scripts for it.

Systems are built for the clients, i.e. providers and payers. Providers are not the consumer, nor are the payers. The consumer gets what's left, nothing.