How to Save Money on Prescription Drugs: 8 Steps

Prescription costs can eat a big piece of a monthly budget, and some people skip doses or don’t fill prescriptions at all because of the price. That can be dangerous. The better news is that many people pay more than they need to, simply because no one told them about cheaper options that already exist.

This guide walks you through eight ways to lower what you pay for prescriptions, with or without insurance, plus the 2026 Medicare rules that cap drug costs and the free help available for people with low incomes.

Step 1: Ask about a generic

Generic drugs are the single biggest money saver. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a generic must have the same active ingredient as the brand-name drug. Prices drop as more generic makers compete: FDA data show one generic competitor is associated with prices about 30% lower, and five competitors with drops of nearly 85%.

• Ask your doctor: “Is there a generic version, or a generic drug in the same class that would work for me?”
• Ask your pharmacist whether your prescription is being filled with a generic. In many cases the pharmacy can switch automatically unless your doctor wrote “dispense as written.”

Step 2: Compare prices between pharmacies

The cash price for the same drug can vary a lot between pharmacies, even on the same street. Call two or three pharmacies, including a warehouse club pharmacy (in many states you don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy) and a grocery store pharmacy, and ask for the price of your exact drug, dose, and quantity.

Step 3: Get a 90-day supply

For medicines you take every day, a 90-day supply is often cheaper per pill than three 30-day fills, and it means fewer trips. Many insurance plans also offer lower copays for 90-day fills through mail order or preferred pharmacies.

Step 4: Use discount cards the smart way

Free prescription discount cards and apps can lower the cash price, sometimes by a lot. Keep two things in mind:

• If you have insurance, compare the discount price with your copay. Use whichever is lower for that fill.
• Purchases made with a discount card usually don’t count toward your insurance deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.

Step 5: If you have Medicare, know the 2026 rules

2026 Medicare Part D feature	What it means for you
$2,100 out-of-pocket cap	Once you’ve paid $2,100 for covered drugs this year (not counting premiums), your plan covers covered drugs in full for the rest of the year.
Deductible of up to $615	Plans can charge a deductible up to this amount before coverage starts; some charge less or nothing.
$35 insulin	Covered insulin costs no more than $35 for a month’s supply.
Medicare Prescription Payment Plan	You can choose to spread your out-of-pocket drug costs into monthly payments across the year instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy.

Example: Joyce, 70, takes two brand-name drugs that would cost her about $3,500 out of pocket this year without the cap. With the $2,100 cap, her yearly cost stops at $2,100. If she signs up for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan early in the year, she can pay that amount in monthly installments of roughly $175 instead of facing big pharmacy bills in January and February.

Also review your Part D plan every fall during open enrollment. Plans change their drug lists and prices each year, and the plan that was cheapest last year may not be this year.

Step 6: Apply for Extra Help if your income is limited

Extra Help is a federal program, run with the Social Security Administration, that helps people with Medicare and limited income and resources pay for Part D. For 2026:

• You can get a benchmark Part D plan with a $0 premium and no deductible.
• Copays are as low as $1.60 for generics and $4.90 for brand-name drugs for people with incomes up to the federal poverty level, and $5.10 and $12.65 above that level.

You can apply online at SSA.gov or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Have bank statements, tax returns, and retirement account and pension statements ready. Many states also run their own pharmaceutical assistance programs for older adults or people with disabilities.

Step 7: Look at assistance programs and community health centers

• Manufacturer assistance programs: many drug companies offer free or reduced-cost medicine to people who qualify based on income. Check the drug maker’s website or ask your doctor’s office.
• Copay cards: for people with private insurance, some brand-name drugs have copay coupons. These generally can’t be used with Medicare or Medicaid.
• Community health centers: federally funded health centers adjust fees based on income and family size, and many run on-site pharmacies that offer discounted prescription drugs.
• Medicaid: if your income is low, Medicaid covers prescriptions with very small copays or none. See our guide on keeping Medicaid coverage.

Step 8: Review your medicine list once a year

Bring every medicine you take, including vitamins and supplements, to your doctor or pharmacist once a year and ask:

• Do I still need all of these?
• Is there a cheaper option that works as well for me?
• Are any of these interacting with each other?

Medicare covers a yearly wellness visit that includes a review of your medications. See our guide on getting free preventive care.

Example: saving without insurance

Darnell, 45, is uninsured and was paying full price for a brand-name blood pressure pill and a cholesterol medicine. He asked his doctor about generics and was switched to generic versions of both. He then called three pharmacies and found the lowest cash price at a grocery store pharmacy using a free discount card, and switched to 90-day fills. His monthly cost dropped from more than $150 to under $30. (Prices are an example; actual prices vary by drug, dose, and location.)

What not to do

• Don’t skip doses or cut pills to make a prescription last longer without talking to your doctor. Some pills are dangerous to split.
• Don’t buy from websites that don’t require a prescription. They may sell fake or unsafe drugs.
• Don’t stop a medicine because of cost without a plan. Call your doctor’s office first; they often know about cheaper alternatives.

For more on Medicare and Social Security, see our guide to the 2027 Social Security COLA. If drug costs are straining your monthly budget, our guide on making a budget on a tight income can help.