Paying for Prescriptions Made Easy: 7 Ideas to Help

a pile of different pills
| 9 min read Financial Assistance

It’s a sad fact of life that millions of Americans struggle with paying for prescriptions. Often, your doctor can prescribe cheaper generic drugs that work the same as brand-name formulas. However, for many people, there is no generic version of the drug they need. Plus, you may have exhausted all other treatment options and have been forced to deal with out-of-pocket medical expenses that run $1,000 or more per month.

If this applies to you, then you may be afraid that because you can’t afford medication you will have to accept a lower quality of life and chronic financial uncertainty.

But don’t give up hope: there are many options for paying for prescription drugs that you might not be aware of.

Start a GoFundMe

Prescription medication costs to know

It’s hard to balance expensive medical treatments with basic necessities like food, rent, and childcare. You may feel hopeless if you can’t pay medical bills, especially if you need that medication to survive. But there are options to get the help and care you need.

Here are some prescription costs to know:

  • In 2022, U.S. prescription drug prices (brands and generics) were nearly 2.78 times as high as prices in comparison countries.
  • Per capita spending on pharmaceuticals stands at approximately $1,564.
  • For people with chronic conditions, prescription drug expenses are much higher. Even those with higher incomes struggle with sky-high prices, and that makes it hard to follow a treatment plan.
  • In 2019, 45% of prescriptions were abandoned (not picked up or filled within 14 days) when the out-of-pocket cost was over $125. The abandonment rate rose to 60% when the out-of-pocket cost was over $500.
  • People who take the most expensive pharmacy drugs usually do so because there is no alternative. For example, the list price of Myalept, a drug to treat lipodystrophy, is over $70,000 per month. The chemotherapy drug Mavenclad costs over $50,000 per month. Very few people could even begin to budget for these prescription medication costs.

How to pay for prescription drugs: 7 ideas

Researching prescription drug prices might feel overwhelming, but it is possible to get financial help, even for drugs that cost five figures. The seven options below can help you pay for prescription drugs without going into medical debt.

1. Talk to your doctor about paying for prescription drugs

Many people feel ashamed and embarrassed to admit they can’t afford medication. But you can discuss the cost of prescriptions with your doctor.

If you have a chronic illness or a life-changing diagnosis, your physician has probably seen hundreds of patients with your same condition. Your doctor is aware of drug prices and patients’ struggles to afford specialty medications for diseases like multiple sclerosis or leukemia. Ask them how other patients afford prescriptions, and see if the doctor’s office can connect you to financial aid or other resources.

If your doctor is part of a healthcare or hospital system, note that some large healthcare organizations have departments that connect people with patient assistance programs. Medication access specialists in these departments can help you or your loved one figure out how to pay for prescription drugs via grants or drugmaker discounts.

2. Connect with a case manager at a hospital or health insurance company

If you have a severe illness or chronic disease, you know how stressful and overwhelming it is to advocate for yourself. Sometimes it seems like no one cares about you or your health struggles. To help patients connect with needed care, hospitals and health insurance companies employ case managers. Typically, a case manager helps people with chronic illnesses or illnesses like cancer complete paperwork, find ways to cover prescription medication costs, and navigate holdups in the insurance approvals process.

Case manager services aren’t always advertised, so many patients don’t know they exist. A customer service representative at the hospital or your health insurance company can connect you to a case manager.

3. Paying for prescription drugs through crowdfunding

There’s no way around it: paying for prescriptions can be a huge financial burden. When insurance can’t—or won’t—cover medication costs, you may feel like you’ve run out of options. But don’t give up, there are options that won’t break the bank.

Thousands of individuals who can’t afford medicine have used crowdfunding to get financial assistance for chronic illness and prescription medications.

Using an online fundraiser to pay for prescriptions has a few major benefits:

  • Setting up a fundraiser is easy. You can get your fundraiser up and running in only a few minutes.
  • An online fundraiser can rally your family, friends, and community to support you or your loved one in a challenging situation.
  • Crowdfunding makes it easy to accept donations and get funds to pay for prescription medications quickly.
  • Medical fundraising can help cover expenses and give you peace of mind.

At GoFundMe, you have 24-hour support if you need help with your fundraiser. The platform also has a 0% fee for organizers, so you keep more of the money you raise and you meet your fundraising goals faster. Learn more by reading the answers to some of the most common questions about GoFundMe.

4. Enroll in state pharmaceutical assistance programs

State pharmaceutical assistance programs (SPAPs) help people with select conditions in paying for prescriptions. These programs often work with Medicare Part D.

A list of SPAPs can be found at Medicare Interactive. For your convenience, here is a quick list of the states that offer pharmaceutical assistance programs:

  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • North Carolina
  • New Jersey
  • Nevada
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. Virgin Islands

5. Apply for Medicare prescription drug coverage

Medicare prescription drug coverage, also known as Medicare Part D, helps eligible seniors afford prescription medication. US citizens and certain non-citizens are eligible for Medicare. Medicare Part D can also work with other insurance, like your employer’s health plan.

To be eligible for a standalone Medicare prescription drug plan, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B. This includes individuals who are 65 years or older, as well as certain individuals under 65 with qualifying disabilities.

Benefits and eligibility vary by state. Information on how to get prescription drug coverage with Medicare can be found at Medicare.gov.

6. Find a patient assistance program

Patient assistance programs (PAPs) supply one-time or recurring financial aid to people paying for prescriptions, especially ones that are expensive. If your drug is administered in your home by a nurse, sometimes the program will cover the cost of care and prescription drugs. Many PAPs have funds for patients at all times, while others only offer financial assistance for a limited time.

If you’re a person with a chronic illness you may not think of yourself as having a disability. But if your condition significantly impacts everyday activities like eating or working, you may be eligible for help in paying for prescriptions.

Below are five databases to consult when you can’t afford your prescription medicine:

7. Apply for drug manufacturer discounts and grants

Many drug manufacturers offer prescription copay assistance, prescription discounts, or grants that reduce prescription costs. Patients apply for these discounts and grants directly.

In addition to browsing drugmaker websites, check to see if there’s a foundation or nonprofit devoted to your disease or condition. Foundations like the ones listed below often maintain financial aid databases or offer grants and prescription assistance to patients:

What to do if you run out of prescription medication

If you notice that you’re going to run out of prescription medication, then you should call your doctor. Hopefully, they will be able to contact a pharmacy of your choice to authorize an emergency refill.

If you can’t get hold of your doctor, you may be able to go to the pharmacy and ask them directly. If they determine that not taking the medication will endanger your health or wellbeing, then they might be able to dispense an emergency 72-hour supply.

However, not all medications are eligible for emergency refills and laws vary from state to state. Many states allow pharmacists to dispense up to a 30-day supply of medication in the case of a natural disaster or other emergency.

Still not sure how to pay for prescription drugs? We want to help

Thousands of individuals in need use GoFundMe each month to raise funds for lifesaving prescription drugs.

Whether you need help paying for prescriptions right now, or if you think you’ll need help in the near future, GoFundMe can help you afford the medication you need to stay healthy.

If you or someone you know needs help paying for prescriptions, sign up here to start a fundraiser and get the money you need today.

Start a GoFundMe

Written by GoFundMe