Why Is My Prescription So Expensive?

You may have noticed that more and more prescription drugs are becoming increasingly expensive over time. Express Scripts reports that between 2008 and 2014, the average price of brand-name drugs skyrocketed by 128%. Recently, pharmaceutical CEO Martin Shkreli garnered widespread attention for raising the price of one drug overnight by more than 5000%.

There are several ways patients can make smart choices to cut down their drug expenses.

1) Do your homework

Our office recommends using the website GoodRx to research the price of prescriptions in your zipcode. GoodRx results compare the prices at several pharmacies in your area to help you make an informed decision.

2) Ask for the cash price

Some prescriptions can cost you more money when you purchase them through your insurance than if you were to pay for them yourself. Ask your pharmacist for the cash price on your prescription to find savings.

3) Use copay cards

Drug representatives that visit our office understand the difficulties of affording certain brand-name prescriptions. Because of this, many pharmaceutical companies have copay cards that will allow for patients to pay a flat fee for their prescription. Ask us about these cards at your next office visit – we may be able to help you save up to hundreds of dollars!

Sticker-shock should not prevent patients from receiving the medication they need.