6 ms·

I have a doctor friend who's made it a habit to recommend that patients use GoodRx anytime they go to pick up prescriptions. Doctors can only be so involved in

by brd 8y ago

I have a doctor friend who's made it a habit to recommend that patients use GoodRx anytime they go to pick up prescriptions. Doctors can only be so involved in the pharmacy side of the transaction and a lot of pharmacists aren't able to intervene. It's sad that it requires a 3rd party app to help people not get screwed over by the current US medical system.

TheAceOfHearts 8y ago
You don't need a third-party app to use GoodRx. I use it regularly, and you can just have em email or text you the discount info. When you go to the pharmacist, you hand em the printout or phone, and they type it in. I'd definitely suggest people at least compare prices with em before going to pick up their medicine. Another suggestion, at least for California: always ask for paper prescriptions! Fuck digital prescriptions. With a paper prescription you can go to any pharmacy you want and have it filled (i.e. shop around and find the cheapest)! But with a digital prescription you can't have it transferred to another pharmacy without calling up the doctor, which is completely fucked up. It's especially frustrating when your regular pharmacy is out of your prescription and your refill day happens to land on the weekend. Now you have to wait 2 days for your refill. One situation I've had happen occasionally is that I'll miss my regular pharmacy's closing hours because I was busy, so I'll just drive to my nearest 24-hour pharmacy to have my prescription filled; you can't do that with digital prescriptions! I've literally saved hundreds of dollars, just by shopping around a bit. And heck, it's not as if driving an extra half a mile is such a big deal, especially when it can end up saving you a few hundred dollars. I'll also note that sometimes even within the same franchise prices can vary greatly, so it's often worth going a little bit further. I think pharmacists are allowed to point out services like GoodRx, but it might be frowned upon, I'm not sure. At least in my case, I found out about their services thanks to a pharmacist: I was refilling a prescription, and the pharmacist walked out of their sealed off area, pulled me to the side and told me to look up this "GoodRx" thing.
- hirsin 8y ago
  GoodRx /is/ the third party app. The point is that US consumers shouldn't need to worry that their medical insurance is duping them.
  - monetus 8y ago
    I think he was just nitpicking that GoodRX is available through more than a binary you have to install. I've used it through its website quite a bit. Its a wonderful service.
    - vxNsr 8y ago
      My mother who is a doctor had their business card in her office, you could you the info on it for any prescription. No need to go to a website or download an app.
- wild_preference 8y ago
  Not very good advice. Pharmacies can deny paper prescriptions at their discretion. And most people know where they’re picking up scripts ahead if time. For example, the pharmacist at a CVS decided not to refill my Vyvanse (amphetamine) paper script because I was paying in cash (+ using paper script). Treated me like a criminal. Digital scripts avoid this unpleasant scenario. The pharmacy system itself needs reform. It’s idiotic that your doctor can write you a prescription that gets denied by someone who puts pills into a bottle. An anti-abuse system that treats everyone like criminals needs a better solution.
  - sizzle 8y ago
    In my state most doctors don't have the technology to send digital eScript for controlled substances
    - freedomben 8y ago
      Out of curiosity, what state are you in? Even in Alaska, not generally a very technically advanced state, I never met a doctors that didn't have the ability to send eScripts. I never visited a doc in a remote village however, might be a different story out there.
      - jetti 8y ago
        I'm in Illinois and have to get a paper script for my controlled substance prescriptions (Adderall)
      - sizzle 8y ago
        California, you'd think the handful of doctors I've busted could send an eScript to a national chain (CVS), but I'm denied and made to carry 3 months worth of wonky triplicate paper prescriptions that are prone to being misplaced.
  - bdcravens 8y ago
    Odd. Can't they verify the prescription with the prescribing doctor, and verify your state issued ID? I personally haven't had this issue with Walgreens (but I get a lot of medicines through them, and only controlled substances I've filled were small dosage Norco post-surgery)
anonytrary 8y ago
I would say this is an argument for free markets.
- smittywerben 8y ago
  What's funny is I imagine "Amazon Prescription Drugs", would look like dark-net market websites. Both sell prescriptions, both use USPS or whomever to ship. Besides I bet it would be easier to track illicit use if it was regulated. Not to mention cheaper, faster and digital. Less prejudice. Too bad the general consensus is that these jobs are necessary when they aren't.
delbel 8y ago
My doctor brought in his laptop and showed me this site. I was completely floored that these are cheaper then my co-pay. I now recommend this to everyone. My neighbor who is low income retired senior, was paying more with all these government subsidized prices, then Safeway. He was absolutely livid he could get a $15 that cost him $280. At this point I realized that the entire insurance scheme is a scam. The co-pay is above what the prices you can find on GoodRx. You end up paying MORE with the insurance co-pay then you would if you were to just shop around. This should be felony fraud! From speaking with my friends, nobody knew about GoodRx so I bet a majority of medicine is overpaid with "insurance" -- this should be headlines everywhere.
- maxerickson 8y ago
  GoodRx is a pharmacy benefit manager, most insurance companies use a pharmacy benefit manager. What they do is negotiate prices for some certain set of drugs. So 2 insurance companies might have 2 different prices than GoodRx and each of the 3 will offer a slightly different set of drugs. When you use insurance and pay the co-pay, that counts against your out of pocket maximum on the plan. Prescriptions bought with GoodRx don't. The insurance isn't doing a great job when they charge a co-pay that is larger than the price GoodRx has negotiated, but it isn't evidence of a scam.
  - pramttl 8y ago
    GoodRx is not a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) actually. A PBM negotiates prices with pharmacies to include them in their network, GoodRx does not do that to my knowledge. Instead, GoodRx offers a service that allows users to compare different coupon and membership prices so that people can chose the best available price/pharmacy combination.
    - maxerickson 8y ago
      They do it by taking up the role of a PBM. This is for some other discounter, but you get the idea, they process the prescription using GoodRx's system: https://www.discountdrugnetwork.com/what-rx-bin-and-group-numbers-mean-on-prescription-discount-cards/ https://www.discountdrugnetwork.com/what-rx-bin-and-group-nu...
ramphastidae 8y ago
Are you aware of any privacy issues with GoodRx? I’ve avoided it because I assume they are making money selling my prescription information.
- sizzle 8y ago
  Would also like an answer to this. This is worrying, just started using them...
- pramttl 8y ago
  GoodRx is strictly against selling personal medical data. Reference. https://support.goodrx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005228506-Privacy-Policy https://support.goodrx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005228506-Pr... "GoodRx does not sell information regarding your drug prescriptions and medical conditions that are linked to your name, contact information and other personal data you provide us."
  - singron 8y ago
    This could just mean pseudoanonymization. I.e. they staple you medical information to your IP, a cookie, or an advertising ID. A buyer can deanonymize that kind of data in many cases.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  I can't say if GoodRx is doing it, but Walgreen's seems to be selling information. I was with a friend picking up his meds and I bleeped my rewards card to collect the points, since he didn't have one. Now I get offers in the mail to treat his condition.
  - jetti 8y ago
    So this has been a roller coaster. My initial thought was that this was a big HIPAA violation but then I decided to actually look to see if my assumption held up. According to the Department of Health & Human Services page on HIPAA and marketing [0], Walgreens can use personal health information (PHI) in marketing without violating HIPAA, as long as they have permission to do so. So with that in mind, I went and looked at Walgreen's notice of privacy practices [1] and they say that they will get a written disclosure before using PHI (and that is restated in their Balance Reward ToS. Bottom line is, if they are selling information then hopefully you're friend has signed a form authorizing use of the PHI otherwise Walgreens is violating HIPAA. [0] https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/marketing/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance... [1] https://www.walgreens.com/topic/help/general/noticeprivacypractices.jsp?foot=privacy https://www.walgreens.com/topic/help/general/noticeprivacypr...
chrisan 8y ago
> Doctors can only be so involved in the pharmacy side of the transaction and a lot of pharmacists aren't able to intervene. Pharmacists can intervene a lot more than your doctor friend lets on. A good pharmacist will tell the patient there is a generic version of the drug when the doctor wrote a script for a brand name. A good pharmacist will also tell you not to use your copay when its more than the out of pocket cost. A bad pharmacist will do neither of those, but they are 2 simple questions anyone can ask when they go to get their prescriptions filled. Is there a generic? Is it cheaper than my copay? I learned the hard way after coming home with an Rx that was more expensive than I remembered. Wife found out they gave my brand name "well thats what the doctor wrote!" and chewed her out. That said, if you are OK with privacy concerns or don't have the time to call yourself, GoodRx is nice to find the lowest cost as they definitely aren't standard and some places even have certain drugs for free. Source: wife & mother pharmacists :)
- ddingus 8y ago
  Truth. Source: awesome family pharmacist.

by brd 8y ago

TheAceOfHearts 8y ago

You don't need a third-party app to use GoodRx. I use it regularly, and you can just have em email or text you the discount info. When you go to the pharmacist, you hand em the printout or phone, and they type it in. I'd definitely suggest people at least compare prices with em before going to pick up their medicine. Another suggestion, at least for California: always ask for paper prescriptions! Fuck digital prescriptions. With a paper prescription you can go to any pharmacy you want and have it filled (i.e. shop around and find the cheapest)! But with a digital prescription you can't have it transferred to another pharmacy without calling up the doctor, which is completely fucked up. It's especially frustrating when your regular pharmacy is out of your prescription and your refill day happens to land on the weekend. Now you have to wait 2 days for your refill. One situation I've had happen occasionally is that I'll miss my regular pharmacy's closing hours because I was busy, so I'll just drive to my nearest 24-hour pharmacy to have my prescription filled; you can't do that with digital prescriptions! I've literally saved hundreds of dollars, just by shopping around a bit. And heck, it's not as if driving an extra half a mile is such a big deal, especially when it can end up saving you a few hundred dollars. I'll also note that sometimes even within the same franchise prices can vary greatly, so it's often worth going a little bit further. I think pharmacists are allowed to point out services like GoodRx, but it might be frowned upon, I'm not sure. At least in my case, I found out about their services thanks to a pharmacist: I was refilling a prescription, and the pharmacist walked out of their sealed off area, pulled me to the side and told me to look up this "GoodRx" thing.

hirsin 8y ago
GoodRx /is/ the third party app. The point is that US consumers shouldn't need to worry that their medical insurance is duping them.
- monetus 8y ago
  I think he was just nitpicking that GoodRX is available through more than a binary you have to install. I've used it through its website quite a bit. Its a wonderful service.
  - vxNsr 8y ago
    My mother who is a doctor had their business card in her office, you could you the info on it for any prescription. No need to go to a website or download an app.
wild_preference 8y ago
Not very good advice. Pharmacies can deny paper prescriptions at their discretion. And most people know where they’re picking up scripts ahead if time. For example, the pharmacist at a CVS decided not to refill my Vyvanse (amphetamine) paper script because I was paying in cash (+ using paper script). Treated me like a criminal. Digital scripts avoid this unpleasant scenario. The pharmacy system itself needs reform. It’s idiotic that your doctor can write you a prescription that gets denied by someone who puts pills into a bottle. An anti-abuse system that treats everyone like criminals needs a better solution.
- sizzle 8y ago
  In my state most doctors don't have the technology to send digital eScript for controlled substances
  - freedomben 8y ago
    Out of curiosity, what state are you in? Even in Alaska, not generally a very technically advanced state, I never met a doctors that didn't have the ability to send eScripts. I never visited a doc in a remote village however, might be a different story out there.
    - jetti 8y ago
      I'm in Illinois and have to get a paper script for my controlled substance prescriptions (Adderall)
    - sizzle 8y ago
      California, you'd think the handful of doctors I've busted could send an eScript to a national chain (CVS), but I'm denied and made to carry 3 months worth of wonky triplicate paper prescriptions that are prone to being misplaced.
- bdcravens 8y ago
  Odd. Can't they verify the prescription with the prescribing doctor, and verify your state issued ID? I personally haven't had this issue with Walgreens (but I get a lot of medicines through them, and only controlled substances I've filled were small dosage Norco post-surgery)

anonytrary 8y ago

I would say this is an argument for free markets.

smittywerben 8y ago
What's funny is I imagine "Amazon Prescription Drugs", would look like dark-net market websites. Both sell prescriptions, both use USPS or whomever to ship. Besides I bet it would be easier to track illicit use if it was regulated. Not to mention cheaper, faster and digital. Less prejudice. Too bad the general consensus is that these jobs are necessary when they aren't.

delbel 8y ago

My doctor brought in his laptop and showed me this site. I was completely floored that these are cheaper then my co-pay. I now recommend this to everyone. My neighbor who is low income retired senior, was paying more with all these government subsidized prices, then Safeway. He was absolutely livid he could get a $15 that cost him $280. At this point I realized that the entire insurance scheme is a scam. The co-pay is above what the prices you can find on GoodRx. You end up paying MORE with the insurance co-pay then you would if you were to just shop around. This should be felony fraud! From speaking with my friends, nobody knew about GoodRx so I bet a majority of medicine is overpaid with "insurance" -- this should be headlines everywhere.

maxerickson 8y ago
GoodRx is a pharmacy benefit manager, most insurance companies use a pharmacy benefit manager. What they do is negotiate prices for some certain set of drugs. So 2 insurance companies might have 2 different prices than GoodRx and each of the 3 will offer a slightly different set of drugs. When you use insurance and pay the co-pay, that counts against your out of pocket maximum on the plan. Prescriptions bought with GoodRx don't. The insurance isn't doing a great job when they charge a co-pay that is larger than the price GoodRx has negotiated, but it isn't evidence of a scam.
- pramttl 8y ago
  GoodRx is not a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) actually. A PBM negotiates prices with pharmacies to include them in their network, GoodRx does not do that to my knowledge. Instead, GoodRx offers a service that allows users to compare different coupon and membership prices so that people can chose the best available price/pharmacy combination.
  - maxerickson 8y ago
    They do it by taking up the role of a PBM. This is for some other discounter, but you get the idea, they process the prescription using GoodRx's system: https://www.discountdrugnetwork.com/what-rx-bin-and-group-numbers-mean-on-prescription-discount-cards/ https://www.discountdrugnetwork.com/what-rx-bin-and-group-nu...

ramphastidae 8y ago

Are you aware of any privacy issues with GoodRx? I’ve avoided it because I assume they are making money selling my prescription information.

sizzle 8y ago
Would also like an answer to this. This is worrying, just started using them...
pramttl 8y ago
GoodRx is strictly against selling personal medical data. Reference. https://support.goodrx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005228506-Privacy-Policy https://support.goodrx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005228506-Pr... "GoodRx does not sell information regarding your drug prescriptions and medical conditions that are linked to your name, contact information and other personal data you provide us."
- singron 8y ago
  This could just mean pseudoanonymization. I.e. they staple you medical information to your IP, a cookie, or an advertising ID. A buyer can deanonymize that kind of data in many cases.
reaperducer 8y ago
I can't say if GoodRx is doing it, but Walgreen's seems to be selling information. I was with a friend picking up his meds and I bleeped my rewards card to collect the points, since he didn't have one. Now I get offers in the mail to treat his condition.
- jetti 8y ago
  So this has been a roller coaster. My initial thought was that this was a big HIPAA violation but then I decided to actually look to see if my assumption held up. According to the Department of Health & Human Services page on HIPAA and marketing [0], Walgreens can use personal health information (PHI) in marketing without violating HIPAA, as long as they have permission to do so. So with that in mind, I went and looked at Walgreen's notice of privacy practices [1] and they say that they will get a written disclosure before using PHI (and that is restated in their Balance Reward ToS. Bottom line is, if they are selling information then hopefully you're friend has signed a form authorizing use of the PHI otherwise Walgreens is violating HIPAA. [0] https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/marketing/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance... [1] https://www.walgreens.com/topic/help/general/noticeprivacypractices.jsp?foot=privacy https://www.walgreens.com/topic/help/general/noticeprivacypr...

chrisan 8y ago

> Doctors can only be so involved in the pharmacy side of the transaction and a lot of pharmacists aren't able to intervene. Pharmacists can intervene a lot more than your doctor friend lets on. A good pharmacist will tell the patient there is a generic version of the drug when the doctor wrote a script for a brand name. A good pharmacist will also tell you not to use your copay when its more than the out of pocket cost. A bad pharmacist will do neither of those, but they are 2 simple questions anyone can ask when they go to get their prescriptions filled. Is there a generic? Is it cheaper than my copay? I learned the hard way after coming home with an Rx that was more expensive than I remembered. Wife found out they gave my brand name "well thats what the doctor wrote!" and chewed her out. That said, if you are OK with privacy concerns or don't have the time to call yourself, GoodRx is nice to find the lowest cost as they definitely aren't standard and some places even have certain drugs for free. Source: wife & mother pharmacists :)

ddingus 8y ago
Truth. Source: awesome family pharmacist.