How Does America’s Pharmacy Work?
Unfortunately, over the last few years, prescription drug prices have continued to rise at a staggering rate, while Medicare coverage rates have decreased. In 2020, prices for nearly 500 prescription medications were expected to rise an average of five percent.2 Older adults frequently take many of these medications, including Humira for rheumatoid arthritis and Januvia, which is used by those with type 2 diabetes.
America’s Pharmacy program is designed to give participants a discounted price for their medications; it’s basically like a coupon for your prescription. Who doesn’t love a great coupon to keep some extra money in their wallet? America’s Pharmacy is widely accepted across the country at 59,000 stores, including Walgreens, CVS, and even most small-town pharmacies. Some other prescription discount cards like SingleCare are only available at around 35,000, so America’s Pharmacy is widely available in comparison.
All you have to do is show your card to the pharmacist at checkout, and they will apply the discount. It’s as simple as that! On average, the card saves members around 66 percent, but it could be up to 80 percent depending on your medication. One important thing to note is that you can’t use the America’s Pharmacy card in conjunction with insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. However, the card may offer your medications at an even better price than your insurance.
Quick Tip for those with Medicare:
Quick Tip for those with Medicare: When you have a prescription filled, ask the pharmacist to compare your out-of-pocket expense with your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan to America's Pharmacy price. You may find that America's Pharmacy price is less than your out-of-pocket cost.
You may be asking yourself how America’s Pharmacy makes its money. We were curious as well, so we did a little research. To give participants this discount, the company negotiates a discounted price on bulk medication purchases with the owners of participating pharmacies. When you use your card to pay for your prescription, the pharmacy pays a referral fee to America’s Pharmacy. Since you may not be a regular customer in their store, the pharmacy benefits from the program, America’s Pharmacy gets a small referral fee, and you get a discount on your prescription. We think it is a win-win-win for all three involved parties!
America’s Pharmacy can help you get the best rate on the medications you need to sustain your health and well-being. We found the process of getting an America's Pharmacy discount card simple; we are confident any older adult can access this savings card with just a few simple steps, which we cover below!