Prescription Drug Cards: Important Things To Know About Prescription Discount Cards

You’ve most likely heard a drug store advertising these cards, sometimes flaunting as much as an 80% discount off prescription drugs. The discounts that prescription drug cards promise seem magical – you only have to showcase a cost-free plastic charge (or on your mobile device) before a pharmacy’s cashier, and you walk away with fat price cuts.

What do prescription discount cards mean? How can you use them? Meanwhile, these cards are different from health insurance benefits. Unlike health insurance benefits, prescription discount cards are free and without additional costs. They’re similar to online coupons that e-commerce firms utilize in selling clothes, gift items, and other similar everyday items.

Suppose you wanted to get free drug discount cards at BuzzRx, you’d only need to supply a few personal details, and you can start enjoying the service instantly. After entering your interested drug and zip code, the service supplies results from pharmacies and supermarkets, such as Walmart, RiteAid, Walgreens, etc.

That said, there isn’t any real disadvantage to the savvy customer. Prescription discount card services earn money as commissions from the connected supermarkets and pharmacies. You get a bulk sum when you add many little commissions on multiple drug orders.

Note that you can’t use your health insurance card and a discount card to purchase a drug on the same purchase. It’s either one or the other, depending on which better suits your cost-cutting needs.

When to Use a Health Insurance Card or a Discount Card?

Finding an exciting deal on your discount cards doesn’t mean you ignore the options on your health insurance. Buying many prescription drugs through insurance benefits could be cheaper than discount cards. Discount cards are useful where there’s a high deductible option, or your insurance plan doesn’t cover the drugs you want to purchase.

A good practice is to research prices ahead by speaking with your insurer and contrasting their offer with the drug discount website or mobile app’s offers. Otherwise, you may consult a pharmacist and present both your discount and insurance cards and have them tell you which has the better offer. Remember, the spending won’t count in your health insurance benefits if you purchase medication with a prescription drug card.

Important Things to Know about Prescription Discount Cards

Prescription drugs could be costly. However, prescription discount cards can help the average consumer save money quickly and easily. Although we’ve highlighted some earlier, below is a rundown of some important aspects to know when it comes to prescription discount cards.

1. Prescription Discount Cards Saves You Money

One of the most apparent benefits of prescription discount cards is that they can help to lower your costs on medications that your health insurance plan could cover. A discount card could save you up to 80% off the drug’s price when you want to purchase a non-covered medication.

It’s vital to compare the prices on your discount cards against what’s on your insurance cards to ensure you aren’t overpaying for your drugs. Additionally, consult with other pharmacies as prices vary between various pharmacy chains and independent drugstore locations.

2. Using Prescription Drugs Doesn’t Count Towards Insurance Plan Deductibles

When you fill a drug using a prescription drug card, they don’t count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket discounts. Discount card purchases fall outside your health plan policy, and it’s helpful to use them if you’re uninsured or the insurance doesn’t cover the medication.

Otherwise, even where the insurance covers the drug you need, using a discount card might be necessary if the discount card offers better pricing from your research. However, you can’t use discount cards with your health insurance.

3. Prescription Discount Cards Come at No Cost

You don’t need to pay membership fees or dues to use most pharmacy discount cards. However, some require that you supply some personal information to start enjoying their medication discounts.

Review the discount company’s privacy policy and check whether their sharing information suits you before subscribing to their services. You’ll usually find their privacy policy on their websites.

4. You Don’t Need Any Paperwork to Use Prescription Drug Cards

There are no forms to fill out or other paperwork involved in using prescription drug cards. When you present your discount card at the pharmacy, the cashier gives you the discounted prescription counter and receives the balance.

You have no other additional obligation to execute on your discount card. While you could utilize the discount card in subsequent purchases, you’re not required to use it.

5. Discount Cards Work for Pets

Suppose you had pets. Many discount cards extend their services to them too. Many pet owners who purchase drugs at the veterinary office are unaware of the benefits of discount cards.

While only the veterinary doctor could fill some prescriptions for your pet, the local pharmacy or supermarket could fill many other vet drugs at a discounted price. Consider speaking with your veterinary doctor to write a prescription for your pet and fill it in a pharmacy or supermarket nearby.

Also, ensure that the vet doctor adds their license number as most discount cards need this information to process the discount.

Frequently Asked Questions about Prescription Discount Cards

You’ve learned various vital things about prescription drug cards. Here are frequently asked questions about prescription drug discount cards.

1. What Is a Prescription Discount Card?

A prescription drug card, or a drug discount card, is a savings option that allows you to get a discount on the selling price of a prescription drug.

Prescription drug cards can assist you in saving on your medications like a coupon. You only have to present the prescription drug card at a pharmacy or supermarket to get instant savings on all your prescription drugs.

2. Where Do I Get a Prescription Discount Card?

Depending on the prescription discount card provider, you’ll often download the card directly from the discount provider’s site to your mobile device for straightforward access.

Most prescription drug discount providers have a mobile app that contains the discount card. Other providers allow users to print the card details from their websites.

3. Can I Get a Drug Discount Card Free of Charge?

You can get drug discount cards free of charge. However, some drug discount programs may charge a fee to utilize the card. Additionally, some cards have processing fees and other annual fees connected to them.

Your best bet is to research the discount provider’s terms and conditions before using their services. That said, there are many drug discount card providers that don’t charge any fees – we suggest you research those providers to save more bucks.

4. How Do I Use Drug Discount Cards?

Drug discount cards are different from insurance plans. Meanwhile, using them is straightforward. Show the cashier at the pharmacy the discount whenever you want to buy medications.

Your pharmacist could compare the offers on your discount cards against your insurance card, where you have a discount card. If the discount card has fairer pricing, your pharmacist will use them rather than your insurance to process your purchase.

5. Is It Possible to Use My Drug Discount Card with Medicare or Other Insurance Plans?

You have the option of using a drug discount card or your insurance. However, you can’t use the drug discount card and your insurance to make a single purchase.

Remember that sometimes, a drug discount card can save you more than the insurance. In such cases, it might be best to use the drug discount card. Either card has its restriction, depending on the concerned drug store.

6. Do Drug Discount Cards Work for Pets’ Medications?

Yes, some discount cards work for medications the vet prescribes for pets. You only need to present the drug discount card to your pharmacy when you intend to buy your pet’s medications. They will then tell you about available discounts on your pets’ drugs.

7. What’s the Best Drug Discount Card to Use?

One of the highest indicators of the best drug discount card is the one that allows you to save the most money on your prescription drugs.

Consider carefully researching which cards would be most rewarding. Also, prioritize drug discount cards with wide acceptability across several pharmacies and supermarkets.

8. How Much Do I Save by Using Drug Discount Cards?

The amount you save depends on what discount card you use, the pharmacy or supermarket you visit, and the drugs you intend to purchase.

Drug discount card providers differ in the average savings amount customers get by subscribing to their services. Additionally, some pharmacies may not accept all drug discount cards, so you want to consult your pharmacy about a specific discount card.

Conclusion

Many companies offer prescription discount cards to save customers money – which could sound too good to be true. Prescription discount card providers get compensation when you fill a prescription through their card, and the supermarket earns from the business.

Most prescription drug card providers don’t charge any membership fee or due for their services. So, think twice before subscribing to a costly discount card. That said, you get to save some bucks on your prescription while improving or maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you, your loved ones, or your pets.