Drug prescription costs can be overwhelming, especially if you do not have health insurance or prescription coverage. Fortunately, there are some options for people who meet certain requirements. Some of these options are offered by large retailers, while others are available through organizations or pharmaceutical companies themselves.
Retailers Offer Low-Cost Prescriptions
Some of the largest retailers now offer substantial discounts on 30- to 90-day supplies of prescriptions drugs. Here is a partial list:
- WalMart offers a $4 Prescriptions Program with up to a 30-day supply of more than 350 prescription drugs for $4 and 1,000 over-the-counter medications for $4 or less. In some cases, you can get a 90-day supply for $10. You may apply for this program even if you have health insurance. The offer also applies to Neighborhood Market and Sam’s Club.
- Target has a program that is similar to WalMart’s: $4 for up to a 30-day supply and $10 for up to 90 days.
- Food City, Giant Eagle, and Kroger supermarket chains also have a $4 price on 30-day prescriptions. Kroger also offers birth control for $9.
- Weis Markets, which has 155 stores in the eastern part of the US, offers a 90-day supply of more than 350 generic drugs for $9.99.
- Publix supermarkets offer free antibiotics if you have a valid prescription, regardless of whether you have health insurance. A 14-day supply is offered.
- Kmart provides a 90-day supply of some generics for $10 or $15.
- Walgreens has a program that offers a 90-day supply of more than 400 generic drugs for $12.99. You have to pay an annual enrollment of $20 for individuals and $35 for families.
Pharmaceutical Makers Offer Free, Low-Cost Drugs
Many pharmaceutical manufacturers offer medication assistance to people who are unable to pay for them. Because each company has its own rules and policies, you will need to contact each one for more information. Here are some of the companies you can contact:
Abbott: 800-222-6885
Amgen: 800-272-9376
AstraZeneca: 800-292-6363
Bayer Schering Pharma: 800-998-9180
Boehringer Ingelheim: 800-556-8317
Bristol-Myers Squibb: 800-736-0003
Eli Lilly: 800-545-6962
Genentech: 866-4ACCESS
GlaxoSmithKline: 888-825-5249
Merck: 800-506-3725
Pfizer: 866-776-3700
Roche: 877-757-6243
Schering Plough Cares: 800-656-9485
Solvay Pharmaceuticals: 800-256-8918
Takeda: 800-830-9159
Wyeth: 800-568-9938
Organizations That Offer Drug Assistance
Several organizations also offer help:
- You can contact a nonprofit cooperative called Partnership for Prescription Assistance to see if you are eligible for any of the hundreds of programs available that offer free or low-cost medications.
- If you are not eligible for Medicare and have no prescription drug coverage, you may qualify for a discount prescription card with Together Rx Access.
- Other resources include RxAssist, which provides information on how to access free or low-cost medications; and NeedyMeds.com, a nonprofit that helps people who can’t afford health insurance.
- For drug assistance with specific conditions, you can contact organizations that handle your particular health issue. For example, you may get financial assistance from the American College of Rheumatology (arthritis, lupus), the National Cancer Institute, or the AIDS Treatment Data Network.
All the information provided here is only representative. Ask your local retailers, as well as organizations and drug companies not on the above list, if they have drug assistance programs.
