Our experts researched and reviewed the 10 top prescription discount cards and narrowed the list to their top 6 recommendations.
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Prescription discount cards are designed to help lower the cost of thousands of popular medications that older adults need. Although savings will vary depending on the card and the pharmacy, most users report saving between 20 and 90 percent on prescriptions by simply using a discount card. Below, we’ll take a look at our top discount cards for seniors, the perks, important things to know, and more.
Here Are the Best Prescription Discount Cards in 2022:
How We Chose the Top 8 Prescription Discount Cards
We identified the top 10 prescription discount cards and narrowed it down to eight of our favorites based on a number of criteria. We looked at factors such as affordability, service, and ease of use to rank the best prescription discount cards on the market. Read on to learn about the discount cards we consider the best of the best.
America’s Pharmacy is an accessible and convenient prescription discount card for seniors that offers comprehensive coverage, as they partner with 59,000 pharmacies across the country. The company’s easy-to-use app and medication search tool minimize the learning curve for seniors and their caregivers, even if they are less than tech-savvy. Users can choose to have their discount card mailed, texted, or emailed to them. Participants can save up to 80 percent on medications, with average savings of around 66 percent. Better yet, the card has no limit on the number of uses, and a whole household can use the same card. Finding the best discounts on your prescription medications is simple with America’s Pharmacy app.
America’s Pharmacy is an excellent choice for seniors seeking savings and versatility on their prescriptions. Their app is user-friendly and intuitive. You can even “Favorite” prescriptions and pharmacies in the app, which helps you save time and money when your prescriptions are due for a refill.
For more information on America’s Pharmacy discount card, read our hands-on America’s Pharmacy review.
WellRx provides a great alternative to insurance for those who rely on monthly medications or just a sporadic prescription for an acute medical condition. Unlike insurance, all you need to do is bring your prescription savings card to the pharmacy, and you will receive an immediate discount on the total cost of your drugs. On average, savings are around 65 percent, sometimes reaching 80 percent or more1 on the most widely used medications, and even higher discounts may be available for generic substitutes. Because WellRx is accepted at more than 65,000 pharmacies nationwide, you’ll likely find a nearby pharmacy that accepts it. They also offer a price comparison tool that simplifies your search for the lowest prices available on prescription medications.
WellRx is great for seniors who prioritize convenience. With WellRX, all you need to do is present your card or pull up a discount code on your smartphone via the WellRx app, and the discount will be immediately applied toward your purchase. Everyone in your family can use the same card, and nearly all medications will qualify for some discount.
Want to give it a try? Our in-depth WellRx review covers everything you need to know.
Arguably one of the nation’s most widely used and accepted prescription discount cards, GoodRx Gold makes it easy to find great rates on medications that might otherwise be out of reach—even for the insured. GoodRx Gold has a physical card that you can carry and use at tens of thousands of retailers, big box stores, and grocers. They also have a convenient app that allows users to pull up discount coupons and print or save them to their online wallet. Patients simply provide the pharmacist with the coupon or allow them to scan a barcode on the smartphone app, and the discount is automatically applied to the purchase.
Additionally, GoodRx Gold offers free mail delivery. If your prescription is at a brick-and-mortar pharmacy, that isn’t a problem. During checkout in the app, you can provide the name and phone number of your current pharmacy, and GoodRx’s Patient Advocacy team will take care of transferring your prescription. If you have a paper prescription from your provider, they can help you transfer that, too.
Even older adults with insurance are likely to find times when the GoodRx Gold prescription card will come in handy. For example, if a new drug is prescribed with a high copay or your deductible is not met for the year, GoodRx offers an option that might actually cost much less than the price with insurance. Side-by-side cost comparisons and low rates make GoodRx Gold a great service, whether or not you also have insurance.
One thing to keep in mind: GoodRx Gold requires a monthly membership, which costs $9.99 per month for individuals or $19.99 per month for families. For comparison, many of the other prescription discount cards on our list are free. However, GoodRx Gold is widely accepted and offers excellent discounts and perks, so it may be worth the cost. GoodRx also has a free discount card that offers smaller savings.
To learn more, head over to our latest GoodRx Gold review.
Choice Drug Card allows older adults to save up to 85 percent on their prescription drugs without the hassle of signing up or submitting any personal information. Choice Drug Card is perfect for those who don’t want to use a mobile app or caregivers who would like to access a discount card for their spouse or adult parent, since no personal information is required. With options to receive a card by text, email, fax, PDF download, or snail mail, older adults can easily access a discount card and instantly start saving on prescription drugs at over 70,000
Older adults who are uninsured, need medications that aren’t covered by insurance, or have expensive medications can save with Choice Drug Card. The free card saves users up to 85 percent on medications and is widely accepted. Though there is no mobile app, the company provides a variety of options for seniors to access their discount card. Head over latest Choice Drug Card review for more information.
SingleCare is a unique prescription discount card, as it’s one of the few that help users compare prices on more than just medications. This convenient and free online tool can be used to check out pricing and even find discounts for vision and dental preventive services such as examinations. Pet medications might even be covered under the SingleCare program. There are no deductibles or claims to contend with, and SingleCare even offers discounts on doctor visits.
Seniors looking to save money without hassles can rely on SingleCare for great discounts through partnering pharmacies. Use a computer or a phone app to quickly compare prices on prescription drugs, telehealth appointments, dental and even vision care with SingleCare. There are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions, so everyone has access to the same exceptionally low rates on the drugs they need.
For more information, check out our 2022 SingleCare review.
For seniors who prefer a no-frills prescription discount card, ValpakRx delivers a simple way to save up to 80 percent on prescriptions. ValpakRx’s straightforward medication search tool and mobile app are accessible whether you’re new to technology or more tech-savvy. The ValpakRx discount card is accepted at over 35,000 pharmacies nationwide. Because ValpakRx partners with most big-name pharmacies and stores, you’ll likely find a location near you that accepts it.
Whether you’re insured or not, ValpakRx can still save you money when you buy medications. A ValpakRx card is great for seniors who purchase medications on a frequent or infrequent basis, and want an uncomplicated way to save up to 80 percent on their prescriptions.
Optum Perks has one goal: to provide users of its free prescription drug plan the absolute lowest rates on their life-saving medications without a lot of hassles. All you need to do to get these discounts is print out the card, have a card mailed to you, or download the Optum Perks app on any Android or iOS compatible smartphone. This company has negotiated a great deal of large-volume discounts of up to 80 percent on thousands of FDA-approved medications. Optum Perks has partnered with thousands of organizations and pharmacies, so finding a provider on the program is simple.
Optum Perks is partnered with over 64,000 pharmacies nationwide, making it one of the most widely available providers on our list. With their discount card, you can save up to 80 percent on your medications. There are no limitations on how often you can use the card or how much you save throughout the year. Older adults can print coupons on the go, show their card at the pharmacy, or allow a checkout attendant to scan the barcode on their smartphone’s Optum Perks app.
FamilyWize is certainly a wise way to save money on prescription costs, and there is no enrollment process to complicate getting your discounts. The FamilyWise plan is completely free to join and open to anyone, regardless of preexisting conditions or medical needs. Simply present the card or show the FamilyWize app on your smartphone to the provider when picking up or ordering your medications to qualify for savings up to 80 percent on more than 50,000 medications.
The FamilyWize discount card is accepted at almost every pharmacy nationwide. You won’t need to fill out any forms, add credit card information, or pay anything out of pocket to become a member of this money-saving program. We recommend this prescription discount card for older adults who just want to save and aren’t looking for any extra bells and whistles like cost comparison at different pharmacies or a robust mobile app.
Prescription discount cards are widely distributed in medical settings, by grocers, and at pharmacies, and your doctor might even recommend a particular card that will best serve your needs. These cards help consumers save thousands of dollars each year on the cost of prescription medications, which are often priced so high that they become out of reach, even with insurance coverage that might require meeting a high deductible.
Unlike most health insurance plans, a prescription discount card typically never caps out, regardless of the cost of any prescription. There are also no deductibles or copays with these cards, and most of them are totally free. This is possible because companies that are established as pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) negotiate prices for covered drugs with local and national pharmacies. In turn, partnered pharmacies agree to offer a set range of discounts to patients who present their membership card. Watch the video below with SeniorLiving.org Editor-in-Chief Jeff Hoyt to learn more about prescription discount cards and ways to save on your medications.
Prescription discount cards are primarily designed to be used like traditional coupons, except these coupons are applicable toward the price of prescription medications. Many providers offer discounts exceeding 90 percent off the price, and several common generic medications may actually be completely free with a discount card at certain pharmacies. While they’re not a replacement for insurance, they can offer those who are uninsured or underinsured a viable way to get the medicine they need at an affordable cost.
There are some prescription cards that offer extra perks. Certain card companies have made agreements with local optometrists and dentists that allow them to offer discounts on preventive annual examinations and other services. If you have pets, you can even ask your veterinarian to transfer any medications that your pet may need into “human” dosages; many pharmacies can fill these orders as usual at the discounted price.
As a general rule, a prescription discount card should cost you absolutely nothing. The majority of reputable programs such as DrugRx and WellRx will never ask you to pay for anything to use their cards and receive a discount. In fact, the bulk of these companies do not require any type of patient registration, so you don’t need to give anyone personal or private information.
Discount card providers also do not ask any health questions, require copays, or ask for credit card details. You simply download the app, print a coupon, or display your discount card, and the discounts are yours for the taking — no questions asked. The best part about these programs is that they typically offer a handy search function that not only tells you who accepts their discount cards, but they will offer detailed pricing down to the penny and even compare prices between nearby retailers.
Even older adults with a good health insurance plan may find a discount card to be useful for certain prescriptions. Many discount medication cards even provide discounts that are less expensive than the copay alone, so with no out-of-pocket costs to you, there’s no reason not to try out one of these cards. Seniors don’t have to be concerned about bringing their card every time they need to pick up a prescription, as pharmacies you have previously used will keep the information on file, just like they do with insurance details.
Did You Know: One in five seniors on Medicare report skipping or rationing medications because of cost, and roughly one-third report difficulty paying for prescriptions.
The cost of prescription medications keeps increasing. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that millions of Americans go without medications they need because of cost. Many older adults are on multiple medications, which can be very difficult for those on a fixed income or tight budget. However, by comparing rates with each reputable discount card provider, seniors should be able to find options within their budget for the medicines they need.
Morgan has been writing about the senior living industry for the past five years. In addition to over 400 hours of research on topics like medical alert systems, health insurance, and technology for older adults, she also brings her previous experience working… Learn More About Morgan Redding
WellRx. (2022). Home page.
TMedicare Plans. (2022). 1 IN 5 SENIORS ON MEDICARE REPORT SKIPPING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS DUE TO HIGH COST AND INFLATION.
