How prescription discount cards and drug coupons are different

When a doctor prescribes medication, this can incur unexpected costs. Prescription discount cards and drug coupons are two options that can help you save money on these medications.

Prescription discount cards are free to use and allow you to get prescriptions at a lower price from pharmacies. A third-party company provides them, rather than the pharmacy or your insurance.

On the other hand, drugmakers provide drug coupons, but they also give discounts on medications.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, in 2021, the average yearly spending on medications (both prescription and over-the-counter) was $1432 per person.

Research suggests that medication costs are a reason for people to stop taking their medication, which can lead to preventable deaths.

Knowing more about these options can help you save on these medication costs and help you stick to a treatment regimen if you need to.

What are prescription discount cards?

A third-party company provides prescription discount cards, such as the Optum Perks Discount Card. These companies negotiate bulk discounts with pharmacies — every time someone uses a discount card, the pharmacy pays the company.

It’s a card that you can keep in your wallet and present at any pharmacy for any prescription you’re trying to fill.

You should be able to use them at any pharmacy, and a 2020 survey of pharmacists in Connecticut noted that pharmacists hold very favorable views on discount cards and coupons, so you can feel confident using them.

A prescription discount card is one that you keep and present whenever you’re filling a prescription. You can use them even if you don’t have insurance because they work separately from it.

Please note that the prices of drugs you get with a discount card are subject to change and might be different when you look online compared to when you actually go to a pharmacy.

What are drug coupons?

Drug coupons, true to the name, are coupons specific to a certain drug. These include:

Manufacturer copay coupons

Different from prescription discount cards, the drug companies provide manufacturer drug coupons. They’re usually on branded medications and seek to encourage users to use one brand over others or the generic option.

These work by reducing your copay amount, and overall reducing the amount you pay out of pocket for your prescription. So, you can only use them if you have insurance.

Some research suggests that these copay coupons greatly increase sales for branded drugs, but they also increase overall healthcare spending.

Because of this, while you can use them with insurance, you cannot use them with government-funded insurance programs such as Medicaid.

That’s because they encourage choosing more expensive branded drugs, ultimately increasing spending from a federal program’s funding.

Prescription coupons

These work similarly to the prescription discount cards in that a third-party company provides them, such as Optum Perks, which has agreed on lower rates directly with pharmacies.

The discount amount can vary based on the company and the cost of the medication, but Optum Perks, for example, can help you save up to 80% on your medication costs.

Research suggests that these can help ensure people stick with their treatment.

For example, some 2016 research on people taking statin medications found that across 4 years, people using coupons were less likely to have stopped their treatments than people not using them.

These coupons are generally single-use, meaning you need a new coupon every time you want to refill your prescription. You also usually don’t need insurance to use these, but you can’t use them alongside insurance.

Differences and similarities

Knowing what makes these options different and what makes them similar can help you decide which you’d like to use.

Which should I use?

It’s completely up to you which of these options you’d prefer to use based on which works best for your specific needs and lifestyle.

You might prefer to use the discount card if you want just one card that you carry and present as needed, or you might want to try a coupon if you’re only using the medication in the short term.

Summary

Prescription costs, especially for branded drugs, can be very high in the United States, and this is sometimes a barrier stopping people from seeking medication or continuing with the treatment they need.

You can try a few options to lower your prescription costs. You can present prescription discount cards to a pharmacy to help you save on any prescription, and you can use drug coupons if you’re looking for a specific drug, most commonly branded versions.

You can decide what option works best for your lifestyle and needs.

If you need help covering the cost of medications, Optum Perks’ free Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.