GoodRx Prescription Prices

GoodRx shows you the price of a prescription medication at every pharmacy within 5 miles. Price variation between pharmacies for the same drug is large enough that not checking feels irresponsible. A generic medication might cost $45 at one pharmacy and $12 at another 2 blocks away. The app generates a coupon code that the pharmacist scans to apply the lower price at checkout. The interface is simple: type the drug name, select dosage and quantity, and pharmacies appear sorted by price. GoodRx earns a fee from the pharmacy benefit manager each time a coupon is used, so the service is free to patients. Last month I used it for an antibiotic and saved $28 compared to my insurance copay. That's a strange situation where a coupon app provides a better price than insurance. This kind of price transparency should exist for every healthcare service. GoodRx demonstrates that the information already exists and just needs to be made accessible.