9 ways to save on your prescription medications

Prescription medications can be life-changing, lifesaving — and expensive. Americans spend nearly $1,400 a year on prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.* That’s too much for many of us. A recent poll found that 18 million Americans were unable to pay for at least one prescription in the last three months.* That challenge was almost twice as common among households making less than $24,000 a year.

Now for the good news. There are plenty of ways you can be smart and savvy about your drug costs, says Paula J. Eichenbrenner. She’s the prior executive director of the AMCP Foundation, which helps patients get medications at affordable prices.

“Health care is complex. Especially when you’re overwhelmed with bills or helping a family member figure out a new diagnosis,” Eichenbrenner says. Here are tips that can help make your prescription costs a little easier to swallow.

1. Get a bigger supply

“When you buy pills at a pharmacy, you’re paying for two things: the pill and the pharmacy to fill the pill, which is a base charge,” says David Belk, MD. He’s a consumer advocate at True Cost of Health Care. “This is why there’s an advantage to buying in bulk, so you don’t pay that base charge as often.”

Your D-SNP plan offers certain covered medications in up to 100-day supplies.

You may be able to save money on your medications. 
As an Aetna Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) member, you have a $0 copay on all covered Part D prescription drugs at in-network pharmacies. Learn more to make sure your medications are covered.

2. Go generic

Brand-name drugs are considerably more expensive than their generic equivalents. Even if there’s only one generic available, it can cost as much as 30 percent less than the brand-name version.* You might be surprised at how affordable some generics are.

“Generic drugs often cost 90 to 95 percent less than the brand-name versions,” Dr. Belk says. Many cost only about as much as a bottle of aspirin. And don’t worry, Dr. Belk says, they work just as well. Generics must meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements. These include that the generic versions of medications work in the same way and deliver the same benefits as the brand-name ones.*

3. Use a network pharmacy

Health plans contract with a network of pharmacies to provide prescription drugs to plan members. Choosing an in-network pharmacy will help make sure that your medication is covered. Aetna D-SNP members can search their secure member website or call their care team for help finding an in-network pharmacy.

Find a pharmacy near you.

Visit Aetna.com/medicare/prescription-drugs/find-pharmacy.html and enter your ZIP code to locate an in-network pharmacy in your area.

4. Comparison shop between pharmacies

Not all pharmacies (even in-network ones) charge the same amount for prescription drugs. “Just like anything else you purchase, you can compare prices at different places,” says Eichenbrenner. So, before you fill a prescription that’s not covered by your plan, or if you have a deductible and haven’t met it, you can call your pharmacy and others in the area to ask what they charge for a medication.

5. Work with your pharmacist

Ask your pharmacist for advice on how to save money. Often, they’ll know about rebates or coupons that can lower those drug prices. Or they may be able to suggest a generic medication as a substitute for more expensive brand-name drugs.

6. Ask for a medication review

It’s a good idea to have a doctor, nurse or pharmacist go through all the medications you take. That’s to make sure they’re working well together. (Health plans with Medicare drug coverage like Aetna D-SNPs offer Medication Therapy Management for members who meet certain requirements at no extra cost.)

Sometimes a provider or pharmacist may be able to point out cheaper generic options. They might even find that two drugs are canceling each other out. Or they may see that you’ve doubled up on a treatment. Getting rid of overlaps can streamline your medication regimen and save you money.

“It’s a good idea to bring a list of your medications, or better yet all of your medication bottles in a bag, to each doctor’s appointment,” Dr. Belk suggests. Bring both prescription and OTC drugs, as well as any supplements you’re taking.

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7. Use medications covered by your plan

Before you fill a new prescription, make sure it’s included in your plan’s drug formulary. That’s the list of medications covered by your health insurance. If it isn’t on the list, you may be able to switch medications.

8. Ask for a small amount of new medications

When you first start a new medication, it might make sense to get only a small number of pills. This is in case you and your doctor decide it’s not right for you. That way you’re not paying for a full month (or more) of a drug you don’t end up using.

9. Look into assistance programs

Enrollees in D-SNP plans are eligible for the federal Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, also known as Extra Help. This program ensures that in 2024 you will pay no more than $4.50 as a copay for generic drugs. And you will pay no more than $11.20 as a copay for brand-name drugs.*

Try to find the LIS/Extra Help copay amount for each prescription drug you take. Then compare it with your insurance plan’s copay amounts. Enrollees in the LIS program always pay the lower cost of the two. For example, for Aetna D-SNP members, the copay for covered drugs at an in-network pharmacy is $0. That’s lower than any cost. So if you were enrolled in both LIS/Extra Help and an Aetna D-SNP plan, you will pay $0.

Another option: Contact the Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation.* It’s dedicated to helping people get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with out-of-pocket costs. Eligibility is based on your prescriptions or health condition.

If you’re not eligible, the PAN Foundation will suggest other resources. The good news is that you absolutely have a personal team available to help you through your Aetna D-SNP. So put them to work.

*FOR ANNUAL SPEND ON DRUGS SOURCE: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Pharmaceutical spending. 2023. Accessed May 10, 2024.

*FOR AFFORDING DRUGS SOURCE: Gallup. In U.S., an estimated 18 million can’t pay for needed drugs. September 21, 2021. Accessed May 10, 2024.

*FOR GENERIC DRUG COSTS SOURCE: U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Generic drug facts. November 1, 2021. Accessed May 10, 2024.

*FOR GENERIC DRUG COSTS WITH EXTRA HELP SOURCE: Medicare.gov. Help with drug costs. Accessed May 13, 2024.

*FOR THE PATIENT ACCESS NETWORK SOURCE: PAN Foundation. About us. Accessed May 10, 2024.

See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. This material is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Health information programs provide general health information and are not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician or other health care professional. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about specific health care needs. Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice. Aetna is not a provider of health care services and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change. For more information about Aetna plans, refer to our website. Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change. 

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