Prescription discounts: quick, real ways to lower your medicine bills

High drug costs hit hard. You don’t need to accept sticker shock. Here are clear, practical steps to cut what you pay for prescriptions today — whether it’s a one-off Rx or a monthly medication.

Where to find real discounts

Use price-comparison tools first. Sites and apps like GoodRx, SingleCare, and Blink Health show cash prices and coupons for many common medicines. Enter the drug name, strength, and quantity to compare local pharmacy prices. Try prices at chain pharmacies, regional stores, and big-box pharmacies — differences can be huge.

Ask your prescriber for a generic alternative. Generics often cost a fraction of brand-name drugs and work the same. If a generic exists, request it by name or ask the prescriber to write “dispense as written” only if the brand is medically necessary.

Check manufacturer coupons and patient assistance programs (PAPs). Drug manufacturers often run savings cards for brand drugs or offer PAPs for people with low income. These programs usually require an application and proof of income but can cut costs dramatically for specialty meds.

Smart buying habits that keep saving

Use pharmacy discount cards when you don’t have insurance or when copays are high. These cards are free and accepted at many pharmacies; they often beat insurance copays for some drugs. Note: copay cards from manufacturers typically don’t work for government plans like Medicare.

Consider mail-order for chronic meds. Ordering 90-day supplies through a mail-order pharmacy or a retailer’s mail service can lower the per-month price and reduce trips to the pharmacy. Compare the total cost, including shipping.

Ask about split-tablet dosing and larger strengths. For some pills, a higher-strength tablet cut in half costs less per dose. Get approval from your doctor or pharmacist before changing dosing or pill-splitting.

Shop seasonal and local discount programs. Community health centers, some hospitals, and 340B clinics can offer lower prices for eligible patients. State programs and nonprofit clinics sometimes run medication discount events or have lists of low-cost options.

Always check the final price before you pay. Pharmacies sometimes ring up a higher price than quoted by a coupon or comparison tool. Show the coupon on your phone and ask the pharmacist to match the price.

One quick example: switching from a brand-name inhaler to a generic or using a manufacturer coupon plus a pharmacy discount card can cut a monthly cost from hundreds to under a hundred dollars — but you have to ask and compare.

Saving on prescriptions takes a bit of effort, but the steps above put real dollars back in your pocket. If a price still seems wrong, call the prescriber’s office or the pharmacy and ask for help — they deal with this all the time and can often find a cheaper route.