Good RX and Other Pharm Discounts

[Coaster4Now]

What is the deal with Good RX and other Pharmacy discounts on drugs?
I have googled and found some 'hazy' things about privacy. But nothing definitive.

I use Good RX for some things, at my regular pharmacy.
But another big name place has a large discount on one of the drugs.
And a bigger discount over Good RX.
So I guess I'm switching pharmacy for that drug at this point.

But what's the actual cost for getting that discount?
Privacy? Anyone know in what regard this is?
To me, this drug pricing is clear as mud. And how things can be discounted so much has my head scratching.

Coaster4Now

 

[rk911]

For several years we were using GoodRX for one drug not covered by our Part D plan. I don't recall seeing any pop-up ads promoting drugs or pharmacies on the phone, tablet or PC.

 

[disneysteve]

We use GoodRx occasionally for us and regularly for my mom. She takes one costly drug that isn't covered by her plan. It also saves her on a couple of other meds. We have no complaints at all.

 

[CaptTom]

I've used GoodRx and another one that a pharmacist recommended. I've also had the pharmacy look up and find me a lower price using "their" discount plan, whatever that means. Now I'm on a zero-cost Plan D, and they covered two shots I got recently. My wife needed an expensive medication and got into a program from the manufacturer which made the cost trivial.

I don't get it. It almost seems like all you need to do is ask, and those prescriptions costing hundreds or even over a thousand dollars end up costing $5, $10 or $20.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[audreyh1]

Lots of discussion especially here recently: Shopping Medicare Part-D with the GoodRx Wild-Card

 

[CaptTom]

Yes, and I think over on that thread one conclusion was that, as the OP says, prescription pricing is as clear as mud.

One big take-away is that you need to shop around for each prescription you need. Check GoodRX and similar programs, your insurance, any manufacturer's program and each nearby pharmacy's "unadvertised" discount before filling it.

 

[sengsational]

I'm thinking the business model here is not to leverage the customer information. GoodRx probably gets a cut from the PBM.

The PBM's (Pharmacy Benefits Managers) are a middle-man between pharmacies and manufacturers. Insurance companies might set up arrangements, but aren't motivated to get the best deal. In fact, they probably want to make plenty of money on that aspect of the business. But that doesn't prevent another PBM from spotting the gouging and offer a more reasonable mark-up. I think that's all GoodRx is doing... finding a fair mark-up and the owner of that "deal" gives GoodRx a little kickback.

 

[Pluperfect]

What is the deal with Good RX and other Pharmacy discounts on drugs?
I have googled and found some 'hazy' things about privacy. But nothing definitive.

Do you consider FTC action hazy or definitive?

The FTC claims GoodRx shared information about users’ health conditions and prescription drugs with digital advertisers like Facebook and Google without users’ permission — and contrary to what it told users in its privacy policy. GoodRx then used that sensitive health information to target its users with health ads on users’ social media feeds. To generate those ads, GoodRx shared with Facebook and others information about its users’ prescription medications and sensitive health concerns — things like erectile dysfunction or treatments for sexually transmitted diseases. Worst of all, it failed to tell its users.

ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/02/ftc-enforcement-action-bar-goodrx-sharing-consumers-sensitive-health-info-advertising

One big take-away is that you need to shop around for each prescription you need. Check GoodRX and similar programs, your insurance, any manufacturer's program and each nearby pharmacy's "unadvertised" discount before filling it.

The problem I've encountered with that on my very infrequent urgent care visits is that they won't give you a paper prescription any more, and you have to have it sent to a pharmacy. Of course you can then do the research and have the prescription transferred, but the last time I did that there was a two-day delay getting the prescription for an inhaler transferred from Walgreens to Randall's (Albertson's).

I would say it's particularly inconvenient for me because I travel fulltime and am never in a familiar area when getting a prescription filled, but really, given the huge variances in pharmacy prices, even if the Kroger two miles away has always been the cheapest for every prescription you've had filled, that's no guarantee it's not the most expensive option for the new prescription you have.

 

[Coaster4Now]

Well, that's interesting and definitive... for sure

 

[GBcycling]

GoodRx has faced scrutiny for its privacy practices, particularly regarding the sharing of sensitive health information.
[MOD EDIT]
MOD NOTE: We again ask our newer members to review all the rules here. In the case of posting answers from AI sources, this is our policy:
Use of AI in member posts


That being said, we have been using GoodRX for about a year. We don't have any extraordinary medical issues, so I don't feel uncomfortable if the world knows I take Lipitor. But, there is always the 23&ME consequence to consider. Eventually, GoodRX will be consolidated with someone.......

 

[GBcycling]

GoodRx has faced scrutiny for its privacy practices, particularly regarding the sharing of sensitive health information.
[MOD EDIT]
MOD NOTE: We again ask our newer members to review all the rules here. In the case of posting answers from AI sources, this is our policy:
Use of AI in member posts


That being said, we have been using GoodRX for about a year. We don't have any extraordinary medical issues, so I don't feel uncomfortable if the world knows I take Lipitor. But, there is always the 23&ME consequence to consider. Eventually, GoodRX will be consolidated with someone.......

thx

 

[wmc1000]

If we have a 1 time drug prescribed and it seems high and I ask about the cost, our local CVS checks it against GoodRX using a generic bin number and it is sometimes a lower price which is what they then charge us. So no personal info is given to GoodRX at least in our case.

 

[tizod]

What is the deal with Good RX and other Pharmacy discounts on drugs?
I have googled and found some 'hazy' things about privacy. But nothing definitive.

I use Good RX for some things, at my regular pharmacy.
But another big name place has a large discount on one of the drugs.
And a bigger discount over Good RX.
So I guess I'm switching pharmacy for that drug at this point.

But what's the actual cost for getting that discount?
Privacy? Anyone know in what regard this is?
To me, this drug pricing is clear as mud. And how things can be discounted so much has my head scratching.

Coaster4Now

I'm using Cost Plus, as I like and support Mark Cubans idealist way to bring drugs to market without the same profit motive as other businesses. That said, you'd still have to shop each, and the way Cost+ works I think more esoteric meds would not be available on that site.

 

[neihn]

I'm using Cost Plus, as I like and support Mark Cubans idealist way to bring drugs to market without the same profit motive as other businesses. That said, you'd still have to shop each, and the way Cost+ works I think more esoteric meds would not be available on that site.

I too used Cost Plus and very pleased with their service. One of my prescriptions was told (Costco pharmacy) to cost >$1,000 and need approval from insurance company before they can fill the order, I asked my doctor to send the prescriptions to Cost Plus and signed up for an account. Even without insurance, the prescription costs only $17 + $5 shipping. Not sure why the discrepancy is too big for the drug, but I am sure that we would get screwed by pharmacy if we don't shop around.

Anyway, I am now a big fan of Cost Plus, and Mark Cubans.

 

[CaptTom]

Interesting. When I looked into Cost Plus, it seemed to me that the wholesale cost, plus the service charge, plus the shipping charge would generally end up more than what one of the discount cards or pharmacy discount would have given me.

Again, clear as mud. And maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[Coaster4Now]

If we have a 1 time drug prescribed and it seems high and I ask about the cost, our local CVS checks it against GoodRX using a generic bin number and it is sometimes a lower price which is what they then charge us. So no personal info is given to GoodRX at least in our case.

I also have used a 'generic bin number' - but I do wonder if the pharmacy has to report some data to the discount card companies, in order to get the discount and for them to get their cut?
I would think if there's some discount, the pharmacy has to re-coup something, somehow and document it.
Otherwise, why not just use one code for all discount GoodRX users? No tracking?

Just got a script, and pharmacy had a better discount code. I have no idea if they had to send my data to secure the discount.
It's so confusing.

 

[KarenF]

Your question is backwards. It is not how can they discount a drug so much, it is how can they get away with marking it up so much? It is infuriating.

 

[Gotadimple]

The generic bin number is what GoodRx uses so the pharmacy knows to apply the discount they have negotiated with the pharmacy and to take the dispensing fee from the customer's co-pay. Pharmacies send their pricing to GoodRx to encourage people to use their service. No personal data is exchanged as far as I know.

 

[MrMikeCT]

If you are a member of Costco, ask the pharmacist about the Costco membership discount. My wife has used it several times and was cheaper than her insurance or GoodRX.

 

[Gkk2001]

What is the deal with Good RX and other Pharmacy discounts on drugs?
I have googled and found some 'hazy' things about privacy. But nothing definitive.

I use Good RX for some things, at my regular pharmacy.
But another big name place has a large discount on one of the drugs.
And a bigger discount over Good RX.
So I guess I'm switching pharmacy for that drug at this point.

But what's the actual cost for getting that discount?
Privacy? Anyone know in what regard this is?
To me, this drug pricing is clear as mud. And how things can be discounted so much has my head scratching.

Coaster4Now

In just a short time comparison shopping for a drug that jumped up a Tier from $0 cost to $X cost, I found a range of prices varying 400% with 3 pharmacies. It appears the big name pharmacies do not want to sell 'cash' priced drugs but set prices to push one into medicare pricing. A small local pharmacy however offered the lowest cost with 'cash pricing'. And Optum Rx web site listed competitive pricing incorrectly to suggest, we, Optum Rx are competitive when they are not. Overall very confusing with no logic offered on why this exists as it is.