How Does GoodRx Work with Medicare?

Understanding GoodRx and Medicare

GoodRx is a website and smartphone app that offers cash discount deals on numerous prescriptions, helping patients without insurance coverage for prescription drugs to find the lowest prices for their medications.

Medicare is a federal health insurance program in the United States. It offers coverage to individuals aged 65 and above, as well as those with disabilities or long-term health problems.

Medicare beneficiaries can reap considerable benefits from utilizing GoodRx to manage their medication expenses, make informed decisions while on a fixed income.

Users can leverage GoodRx to search for prescribed medications and obtain a list of local pharmacies offering the most cost-effective prices.

However, bear in mind that GoodRx is not available outside of the United States. While some independent pharmacies might not accept GoodRx, they may have other options to assist patients with medication costs.

Prices for common generic medications on GoodRx can fluctuate by hundreds of dollars per fill within a six-month period, often devating from the retail price.

GoodRx also has a feature that evaluates your entire list of prescriptions and assists you in determining the pharmacy providing the lowest overall price. Armed with this information, you can optimize decisions related to your healthcare expenses.

View Medicare Rates for 2024

Enter Zip Code

How GoodRx Complements Medicare Part D Plans

GoodRx offers a complementary service to Medicare Part D plans by providing extra discounts and aiding users in discovering lower medication prices.

While some GoodRx coupons may not be valid when used in conjunction with other insurances like Medicare or Medicaid, the platform still provides valuable information on prescription drug pricing that can benefit Medicare beneficiaries, including the use of a goodrx coupon.

Combining Discounts

Although GoodRx discounts cannot be combined with Medicare, users have the option to choose the best price for each prescription. A comparison of prices between GoodRx and Medicare for a particular prescription drug can help you identify the most financially viable option.

In certain situations, GoodRx may provide a more economical rate than Medicare, such as when the medication is not covered by Medicare or when GoodRx prices are lower than the Medicare copay.

Finding Lower Prices

GoodRx assists Medicare beneficiaries in finding lower prices for medications not covered or with high copays under their Part D plan.

By aggregating prices and discounts from pharmacies for comparison, GoodRx ensures users receive the most affordable prescription costs. This valuable resource can help you save on medications that would otherwise be costly under your Medicare plan.

When to Use GoodRx Instead of Medicare

In some cases, using GoodRx instead of Medicare may be more beneficial. For example, high deductibles or during the coverage gap known as the “donut hole”.

The “donut hole” is a temporary limit on the coverage provided by the drug plan for drugs, and during this gap, you may be responsible for a higher percentage of the cost of your medications.

High Deductibles

High deductibles can be a significant burden for Medicare beneficiaries. GoodRx can help users save money on medications when facing high deductibles by offering lower cash prices for medications that are not covered by Medicare.

You should reach out to your insurance company to find out if you can submit receipts to count towards your deductible. Leveraging GoodRx to find the lowest available prices can help ease the financial burden of high deductibles.

Donut Hole Coverage Gap

The “donut hole” coverage gap in Medicare Part D can be a challenging period for beneficiaries, as they are responsible for a larger portion of the cost of their medications.

GoodRx can help alleviate this burden by furnishing discounts on prescription medications during this coverage gap phase.

With GoodRx, it may be possible to avoid or minimize the effect of the “donut hole” and save money on your prescriptions.

How do I use GoodRx with Medicare?

If you find that a prescription drug is cheaper through GoodRx than your Medicare copay or if you don’t have drug coverage through Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan, you can use a GoodRx discount instead.

However, you must ask the pharmacist not to run your prescription through your Medicare and present your GoodRx coupon for them to process the transaction as cash instead.

What is the downside of using GoodRx?

GoodRx can potentially send personal information, such as names of drugs consumers are looking at, to Facebook, Google and other companies.

Additionally, many specialty medications, niche drugs or branded products may have limited or no coverage through GoodRx, leading patients to explore other options for savings.

Can I use GoodRx instead of my Medicare Advantage plan?

GoodRx can be used instead of insurance or government-funded programs, such as Medicare Advantage, if it is cheaper than the copay or if you don’t have drug coverage. However, GoodRx cannot be used in combination with insurance and is not a form of insurance.

Does GoodRx have a Medicare Part D plan?

GoodRx cannot be used in place of a Medicare Part D plan, but it can help save money on medication costs. It is important to ask the pharmacist not to run your prescription through your insurance or Medicare when using GoodRx.

Those enrolled in Medicare can get prescription medication coverage through a stand-alone Part D plan.

Is GoodRx only for people without insurance?

No, GoodRx is not only for people without insurance. It can be beneficial for those with insurance, such as Medicare beneficiaries, to take advantage of discounts offered by GoodRx.