The Big Squeeze: Searching for prescription price relief between increasing costs 

Medication costs are going up, while in 2023 the cost of commercial plans increased 6.5%. this puts patients in a tight spot, as they juggle rising living expenses and the increasing healthcare costs. Patients are seeking proven ways to get prescription price relief. For those facing the highest medication costs, there might be a lifeline: Manufacturer Coupons and Copay Cards.

What does a Copay Card do?

Manufacturer coupons often go by different names like copay cards, copay assistance cards or copay savings programs. When used with your commercial insurance, they may reduce the cost of your medication to $0. Here's how it works: you enroll in the program and gain access to either a set amount of money to put toward your copay, or you might receive a fixed quantity of medication at a reduced price. Each program has a maximum limit to the amount of savings it will provide a patient. These programs are funded by the medication's manufacturer, and the amount saved may apply to your deductible, reducing your overall healthcare spending for the year.

Does the copay card cover the deductible?

The answer is Yes, but it comes with a “BUT”. These programs often cover a significant portion of your copay, which is the amount you pay when picking up your medication. Typically, the copay amount covered by the manufacturer's savings program will also count towards your deductible. However, some insurance companies have introduced policies that may prevent you from applying the manufacturer coupon to your deductible amount. These programs are called Accumulators and Maximizers. Fortunately states are taking action and at least 19 have passed legislation preventing the use of some of these programs.

How to find a manufactures coupon or copay savings program

The most traditional method to locating copay cards, copay savings programs, or manufacture coupons is to simply google the medication. Locating the right result can be confusing as prescription discount card vendors, drug information vendors and others often appear in the search results, but do not link to the programs. . Even when you land on the right page, the financial assistance programs are not always easily accessible. You may need to navigate through various menu options to find the copay savings programs.

A more straightforward method to determine if a manufacturer coupon is available and to find the enrollment process on the website is to use a Pharmacy Savings website, such as RxCard Compare. Not only will it help you quickly search for the best deal, whether copay savings program or a prescription discount card, but it will link you to the right pages to learn about what financial incentives exist.