Shopping Medicare Part-D with the GoodRx Wild-Card

I've used GoodRx before, and last time the pharmacy in the local supermarket was able to beat the GoodRx price with some sort of "special" pricing the pharmacy looked up only AFTER I presented my GoodRx coupon, knocking something like 90% off the price they originally wanted to charge me.
This exact scenario happened to my husband this week. Med want cheap with his current part d... He presented the good Rx coupon and voila - the pharmacy clerk said he had an even better coupon. Med went from $108 to $36 with goodx, to $24 with the pharmacist's deal. This was a refill and hubby paid the full price the first time... No offer of a coupon. This time he had the good Rx and the pharmacist offered the better discount. This is his first expensive prescription, so he had no clue about good RX....
 
So, with no real preference between pharmacies, and no current or expected prescriptions, what criteria should I use to decide between the various "$0 premium" plan D options?

I assume these are sort of like creating a free account on the GoodRx site. It allows you to take advantage of whatever discounts they have negotiated with the pharmacies. But it also meets the "use it or lose it" requirement to sign up for Plan D when first eligible. Am I missing anything?
 
So, with no real preference between pharmacies, and no current or expected prescriptions, what criteria should I use to decide between the various "$0 premium" plan D options?

I assume these are sort of like creating a free account on the GoodRx site. It allows you to take advantage of whatever discounts they have negotiated with the pharmacies. But it also meets the "use it or lose it" requirement to sign up for Plan D when first eligible. Am I missing anything?
How many $0 premium options do you have? We have just one.

Yes, you want to sign up for a Part D plan when you are eligible to avoid heavy penalties later.
 
So, with no real preference between pharmacies, and no current or expected prescriptions, what criteria should I use to decide between the various "$0 premium" plan D options?

I assume these are sort of like creating a free account on the GoodRx site. It allows you to take advantage of whatever discounts they have negotiated with the pharmacies. But it also meets the "use it or lose it" requirement to sign up for Plan D when first eligible. Am I missing anything?
I would check out several of the local pharmacies to see which ones are in plan and preferred.
 
When I was checking plans and pharmacies on Medicare.gov I initially added our particular H-E-B (grocery store we use the most) and Costco as my pharmacies. Later I did a more thorough comparison and added nearby Walmart, Walgreens and CVS. From there it was easy to see the in network pharmacies and most importantly the preferred in network pharmacies for each plan. I think all were in network across the plans I looked at, but only some were in network preferred which generally gives the customer the best prices. Some variation across plans.
 
I've been looking at Part D plans and have determined that AARP/UHC plan fits my comfort level.
Is there a reason to not go with this plan? It only has 2 stars but I'm not sure that means much.
My other option is Blue Shield which is quite a bit more per month for the premium. But they have 3 stars.
 
I've been looking at Part D plans and have determined that AARP/UHC plan fits my comfort level.
Is there a reason to not go with this plan? It only has 2 stars but I'm not sure that means much.
My other option is Blue Shield which is quite a bit more per month for the premium. But they have 3 stars.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, you really only deal with a doctor and the pharmacy for prescriptions. You almost never deal with the insurance company directly. You should make sure the Part D company has the pharmacies you want in network. Preferred in network will give you the best prices.
 
I've been looking at Part D plans and have determined that AARP/UHC plan fits my comfort level.
Is there a reason to not go with this plan? It only has 2 stars but I'm not sure that means much.
My other option is Blue Shield which is quite a bit more per month for the premium. But they have 3 stars.
When selecting a Part D plan price is the most important factor. Convenience is a secondary factor. Is it the lowest priced plan available? If it is not, and a competing plan is less or siginifcantly less expensive then you may want to reassess.

A 2 star PDP (prescription drug plan) is below average. Medicare.gov allows you to drill down and find out why it is rated so low. In our area the AARP/UHC plan is also rated 2 stars and "member satisfaction with the plan" is rated as 1 star and "Ease of getting prescriptions filled when using the plan" is also rated 1 star.
 
I give quality and convenience equal weight with total cost OOP.

I suspect the high ratings of some plans are more or less accurate. But in the end I place more weight on my experience with my plan.
 
Since DH has had experience with a couple of different part D plans I am familiar with at least two. DH has not had trouble with either. The main issues for me are total cost and does my favorite pharmacy have preferred in network status and good prices on my one prescription.
 
Hi, Friday I changed my AARP UHC plan D to Aetna. UHC D in 2025 would have been $115 a month, Aetna will be 53.60 a month. I believe Healthpilot might be Ai generated 11 plans popped up instantly. Aetna came up number 1 saving me $900. I talked with Healthpilot agent then called Aetna and it was only $24 difference.
 
So, with no real preference between pharmacies, and no current or expected prescriptions, what criteria should I use to decide between the various "$0 premium" plan D options?
With no pharmacy preference, I look for differences in the deductible amount and if any tiers are exempt from the deductible (in case of a new prescription). For example, Arizona:

Wellcare Value Script: $0 premium; 3272 covered drugs; Tiers 1 & 2 exempt from $590 deductible.

Cigna Assurance: $0 premium; 3176 covered drugs; $590 deductible all tiers.

Kansas has WVS and:

BCBS Essentials PDP: $0 premium; 3261 covered drugs; Tiers 1 & 2 exempt from $425 deductible. The Tier 2 copay is $3 less ($2 vs $5 at WVS).

 
Hi, Friday I changed my AARP UHC plan D to Aetna. UHC D in 2025 would have been $115 a month, Aetna will be 53.60 a month. I believe Healthpilot might be Ai generated 11 plans popped up instantly. Aetna came up number 1 saving me $900. I talked with Healthpilot agent then called Aetna and it was only $24 difference.
Did you check on Medicare.gov? Those are very expensive Part D plans.
 
We are both on the $0 Wellcare Part D plans and use mail order for all but 1 RX.

DW has 1 Rx that if we get it at the preferred pharmacy or through mail in costs $41 dollars for a 3 month supply.

If we go to Walmart, which is not their preferred pharmacy, they run it through Wellcare but it only costs us $7.60 for a 3 month supply! Must have something to do with it being on the Walmart $10/90 day list.

We'll go to Walmart to save the $134 a year since we shop there a couple times a month anyway.

Just shows it pays to check any Rx that is not free through the preferred pharmacy or mail order program.
 
You can also transfer prescriptions between pharmacies.
I find it annoying that when you confirm your doctor's appointment, they want you to pick a pharmacy. So you don't know if you'll get a prescription and don't know what it will be if you do get one.

Wouldn't it be better to have them hold the prescription, and let you shop when you get home and define the pharmacy then?

What's happened to me is that they send in the prescription to the pharmacy on file, and I get a high price. Then when I try to get prices out of other pharmacies, they say they won't give me a price unless I transfer the prescription. GoodRx is helpful, since you can see the price online, but going that route doesn't accumulate towards the deductible (if there's a chance of hitting that).

And another annoyance is not giving me a paper prescription. That would allow me to shop, but they won't do it. They electronically send to the pharmacy they made me pick before the prescription. If they want to keep it electronic, the system should allow me to move the prescription around to find a good price.
 
Just shows it pays to check any Rx that is not free through the preferred pharmacy or mail order program.
Yes! Any prescription over a few bucks is worth doing this.

Wouldn't it be better to have them hold the prescription, and let you shop when you get home and define the pharmacy then?
Right. They all want you to select a pharmacy before knowing the price.

And another annoyance is not giving me a paper prescription. That would allow me to shop, but they won't do it.
My doctor will do this. He's old-school and in his own private practice. Once he retires, I'll no doubt be back to an assembly-line office owned by some hospital conglomerate. Still, I'm pretty sure they'll be willing to discuss options for getting affordable medications, even if it means having their staff print out and rubber-stamp a paper prescription.
 
I find it annoying that when you confirm your doctor's appointment, they want you to pick a pharmacy. So you don't know if you'll get a prescription and don't know what it will be if you do get one.

Wouldn't it be better to have them hold the prescription, and let you shop when you get home and define the pharmacy then?

What's happened to me is that they send in the prescription to the pharmacy on file, and I get a high price. Then when I try to get prices out of other pharmacies, they say they won't give me a price unless I transfer the prescription. GoodRx is helpful, since you can see the price online, but going that route doesn't accumulate towards the deductible (if there's a chance of hitting that).

And another annoyance is not giving me a paper prescription. That would allow me to shop, but they won't do it. They electronically send to the pharmacy they made me pick before the prescription. If they want to keep it electronic, the system should allow me to move the prescription around to find a good price.
I think you can use Medicare.gov to see pharmacy prices - both retail and your Part D prices. I think I also saw this going into the Wellcare website checking their part D info. Basically input as if you are shopping plans with a prescription. Put in up to 5 pharmacies. Then transfer if worth it.
 
Back
Top Bottom