Easy Ways to Cut the Cost of Prescription Drugs • Everyday Cheapskate

We know that the cost of just about everything is on the rise. The shocking news is that prescription drug costs are increasing at more than double the inflation rate.

There’s no denying it—the skyrocketing cost of some prescription drugs is enough to give you a heart attack. If medication drug costs have gotten you down, cheer up! Then check out these ways, updated for 2022, that you can save a lot of money on prescription medications—plus where to get some medicines (antibiotics!) for free.

1. Cost Plus Drug Company

In Jan. 2022, billionaire Mark Cuban founded Cost Plus Drugs Company, a registered pharmaceutical wholesaler that purchases drugs directly from manufacturers, bypassing middlemen to lower the price of hundred of medications (adding more every month).

For example, the leukemia drug Imatinib is priced at $47 a month on MCCPDC compared to the $9,657 retail price. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 10mg, 30 count just $3.60 while retail at other pharmacies is $55.20.

Why is Cuban doing this? Because he believes that every American should have access to safe, affordable medicines. If you don’t have insurance or have a high deductible plan, you know that even the most basic medications can cost a fortune. Many people are spending crazy amounts of money each month just to stay healthy. No American should have to suffer or worse because they can’t afford basic prescription medications. Read more.

How does Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug work?

Find your medication in the online store by searching, browsing alphabetically, or by medical condition.
Once you’ve found your medication, sign up for an account.
Reach out to your doctor or provider with provided instructions to receive your prescriptions.
Once Cost Plus receives a prescription from your doctor, you’ll be notified to checkout.
Your medications will be delivered straight to your door in just a few days.

NEWS: Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs Company takes another step ‘to disrupt the current pharmacy supply chain

2. GoodRX

What a fantastic resource. GoodRX is a website with no sign-up or credit card required. You can easily access the site on your computer or download the mobile app for IOS and Android.

First, set your location using your address and or zip code. Next, type in the drug name in the space provided. You can easily compare prices at nearby pharmacies and get coupons to cut costs even further.

It sounds like a hoax, I know, but it’s not. This is one of the best reliable resources on the Internet. Drug prices vary wildly between pharmacies, and GoodRX finds you the lowest prices plus discounts on top of the published price.

Click “Get Free Coupon,” print it, then hand it to your pharmacist.

Examples

Here’s an example in the Los Angeles area, as I update this information, for 90 capsules of 300mg Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) with the average price of $137.42: Costco $7.09; Ralph’s $9.29; Walgreens $10.21; Walmart $10.11; Target (CVS) $13.33. Within just a few miles the price for that particular medication is all over the place! GoodRx.com makes sure you find the lowest price available.

Lipitor (generic atorvastatin) 30 tablets of 40mg . The lowest GoodRx price for the most common version of generic Lipitor is around $9.38, 87% off the average retail price of $75.

Tamiflu (oseltamivir) 10 capsules of 75mg (one dose pack). The lowest GoodRx price for the most common version of generic Tamiflu is around $20.10, 75% off the average retail price of $95.74.

Give GoodRX a spin and see if I’m not right about this!

A note about Medicare

Medicare is supposed to make your prescription drugs affordable. But, as many seniors know, some drugs are expensive, and some aren’t covered. And, of course, there’s the infamous donut hole.

GoodRx makes it easy to compare your Medicare co-pays against GoodRx coupon prices to see which can save you more. Keep in mind that you cannot use GoodRx and Medicare simultaneously. However, you can use GoodRx instead of government-funded programs like Medicare or Medicaid to pay for your prescription medications.

3. NeedyMeds

Another site you might want to check if you can’t afford your medications: NeedyMeds.org. The site lists programs that help people reduce their healthcare costs, including patient assistance programs and co-pay cards offered by drug companies. Coupons and rebates, too. The NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card may save you up to 80% off the cash price of your prescriptions, OTC medications, and pet prescriptions purchased from a pharmacy.

4. Extra Help

Extra Help is a program for Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for extra help paying for their monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage). Extra Help is worth about $5,000 per year for those who qualify. To qualify for Extra Help, you must be receiving Medicare, have limited resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia. Find out if you qualify.

5. The Doc Talk

Usually, doctors don’t keep up with the retail price of medications they prescribe—they’re thinking about successful treatment, not dollar signs.

A pharmacy tech told me recently that she recommends patients call their doctor for a cheaper option once she shows them what the medication prescribed will cost. Don’t be afraid to make that call. More than likely, a less expensive option will be just as effective.

6. Pill-splitting

A pill splitter just might save you 50% on the cost of your medication. Because of a quirk in how some drugs are priced, a tablet that’s twice as strong as another may not be twice the price. It might be about the same price. So, cutting a higher strength pill in half can get you two doses for about the price of one.

With a little manual labor—just snapping down the lid of a pill cutter—splitting a pill can save quite a lot of money. Talk to your doctor first! Not all prescription pills are splittable, but the one you take just might be.

According to WebMD, some pills commonly split include statins like Crestor, Lipitor, and Pravachol; antidepressants like Celexa, Paxil, and Zoloft; ACE-Inhibitors like Monopril, Prinivil, Univasc, and Zestril; and angiotensin receptor blockers like Avapro and Cozaar. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers additional information here: Best Practices for Tablet Splitting.

Ezy Dose Pill Cutter and Splitter with Built-in Pill Dispenser, Easy-Cut Stainless Steel Blade for Tablets, Vitamins, Medication, Portable, Travel-Size Pill Cutter for Seniors, Pets, Color May Vary

7. Assistance programs

From time to time, government programs, non-profits, and drug manufacturers offer deeply discounted or even no-cost medicines. To find out the latest information on what is available, I highly recommend the Partnership for Prescription Assistance website. Once there, simply enter the name of the medication or the manufacturer, then click “Get Help Now” to discover if there are currently programs and assistance with the cost of that medication.

Also, check with disease-related associations such as the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association for help locating less expensive options related to those diagnoses.

8. Free or $4.00 prescriptions

Getting sick is terrible, but here’s some news to help your bank account feel better. Some chain pharmacies across the country offer their customers free or extremely cheap antibiotics even without insurance. Just be clear: You will need a valid prescription to get free antibiotics.

Some discount store chains like Walmart, Reasor’s, and Costco offer discounted generic medicines for $4 to $10. Some medicines, like antibiotics or prenatal vitamins, are offered free at some of these stores.

Costco’s Member Prescription Assistance Program is available for members only and is fantastic—well worth the membership price if you do not already have prescription drug insurance coverage.

NOTE: Some state laws require discount warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club to allow non-members to use the pharmacy, but the assistance program that reduces the prices even further is for members only. A quick call to the club’s pharmacy will let you know if its services in your state require membership.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost of a prescription drug?

In 2017, the average cost of therapy for a brand name prescription drug, based on the market basket in this study, was almost $6,800 per year. On average, older Americans take 4.5 prescription drugs every month. (Source: AARP)

Who decides the cost of prescription drugs?

When a drug finally makes it to market, drug manufacturers set the drug's list price based on several factors. However, this is not the price you pay. Your employer, insurance company and their pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) all play an important role in the final cost of your prescriptions. Source: cobioscience.com

How much are prescriptions at Walmart without insurance?

With the Walmart Rx Program, you can get select generic medications at $4 for a 30-day supply and $10 for a 90-day supply. It doesn't require a membership, and these low cash prices are available with or without insurance. Source: goodrx.com

Why are drug prices so high?

“For example, the pharmacy benefit managers who run prescription drug insurance programs can make more off a higher priced drug, because they negotiate percentage rebates. ... On top of that, doctors and hospitals are frequently paid based on a percentage of the price, and so they can make more off of high-priced drugs.

How much does it cost to develop a new drug?

Developing a new prescription medicine that gains marketing approval is estimated to cost drugmakers $2.6 billion according to a recent study by Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development and published in the Journal of Health Economics.

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Last update on 2026-07-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Jackie Voss says:

May 4, 2023 at 1:55 pm

I was one who felt there must be a “cost” to Good RX, so I never utilized it. My medicare insurance is very good, but I was prescribed Lyrica, and even with my good isurance, the cost was high–especialkly the first dose. After that it was high, but manageable. But the next year, before my deductible was met, it became too much to purchase. My dear husband said to go ahead and buy it, but I knew that it would mean not paying something else! As I was in tears at the pharmacy counter at Walmart, a dear young man waiting onn me told me to wait while he checked something. He cam back, said he enrolled me in Good Rx and the cost was $38 for a 6 month supply! A true blessing! Check with yur pharmicist if you are confused about enrolling.

Barbara J Pire says:
May 4, 2023 at 5:19 pm

I use Good RX all of the time!! I have a plan and always get generics but when I went to pick up one of my prescriptions a while ago and they said it was $144 for 90 pills with my insurance so I said let’s try Good Rx and wouldn’t you know that prescription was down to $42.00! So we have to speak up, I have a card for Good RX but they don’t require it. So it never hurts to try Good RX and it is free.

Patricia Goff says:

May 4, 2023 at 1:46 pm

I tried GoodRX but my doctor only allows me to change pharmacys 3 times a year so I can’t use it. He doesn’t like sitting while I look who has the cheapest meds either. He want to just send it to the pharmacy on record and it is done. I am lucky as I do have good insurance though.

Mary Hunt says:
May 4, 2023 at 2:52 pm

I would find another doctor. In my opinion, it is inappropriate and unethical for a doctor to stipulate or even care about which pharmacy you choose to patronize. To me, that smacks of a conflict of interest … hmm, perhaps he has ownership in those pharmacies? I would run, not walk …
- LG Jones says:
  May 4, 2023 at 7:59 pm
  
  I totally agree! I have known 2 women who have had drs who would not send them to specialists when needed because “If I am not good enough for you, then you need to leave my practice.” One died from cancer, one left the practice. If your dr. is not caring for YOU, your dr. does not deserve you!
Janice says:
October 22, 2023 at 12:01 pm

Are you having the doctor call in a new Rx for each pharmacy? You just need to ask the desired Pharmacy to contact the current pharmacy and transfer your existing prescription.

Katie says:

August 29, 2022 at 8:16 am

Mary, Thank you so much for the Cost Plus/Mark Cuban link and info. I went there and looked around and it looks very promising for me. I can’t thank you enough. 🙂

Norma says:

August 4, 2022 at 4:28 am

How can I get the slow cooker peach cobbler recipe?

Mary Hunt says:
August 4, 2022 at 9:01 am

Go to the top of any page on this site. Click on the orange search icon upper right. Type in: peach cobbler. Hit Enter. That will return any and all posts with that phrase and some that might be close! OK, I did it for you, but just this time, OK? 🙂

Super Summer Slow Cooker Recipes—Dessert, Entrees, Sandwiches, Too!

Arline Payne says:

July 30, 2022 at 9:59 pm

I highly recommend BLINK HEALTH. I have been using since their start and their price always beats any other. Mark Cuban is always very competitive.

Crystal Barham says:

July 30, 2022 at 7:23 pm

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs has saved me the most on the many prescriptions my husband takes. I am an avid price comparison shopper and have been very pleased

Mary Hunt says:
July 30, 2022 at 8:42 pm

Yes! I have updated the post to include this exciting new venture!

Joyce says:

July 30, 2022 at 2:32 pm

Mary, Mark Cuban just started a pharmacy that has most generic drugs & they add new ones every month. The prices are fantastic, check it out.

Mary Hunt says:
July 30, 2022 at 8:42 pm

Yes! I have updated the post to include this … I am so happy to have learned about this exciting venture.

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