BuzzRx: How Discount Services Can Save You Big Bucks at the Pharmacy

Have you gone to the pharmacy recently to fill a prescription and were shocked at the price tag? If so, you’re not alone.

Rising prescription medication costs can put a major financial strain on household budgets.

In fact, the Center for American Progress reports that roughly one-third of Americans can’t afford to take their medication as prescribed. A report from RAND reveals that prescription drug prices in the United States are 2.78 times higher than in other countries, with brand-name drugs costing 4.22 times as much.

While such statistics paint a sobering picture regarding the affordability of prescription drugs, the good news is that there are a variety of discount services designed to help consumers enjoy significant savings at the pharmacy.

As Matthew Herfield, Co-Founder and CEO of BuzzRx, a prescription discount service, explains, utilizing such programs can be a lifesaver for budget-strained consumers.

How Discount Programs Like BuzzRx Work

“BuzzRx allows you to obtain discounts on prescription medication with either a physical card or through the BuzzRx app,” Herfield explains. “These cards are not insurance but can be used instead of insurance at your local pharmacy. Using the service is simple — you simply present the card or your app’s discount code at your local pharmacy, and the discounted price will be automatically applied to your transaction. You will only be responsible for the discounted amount rather than the full retail price for the drug.”

The BuzzRx discount program is available nationwide at over 60,000 pharmacies, including major chains like Walgreens and CVS and grocery chains like Walmart and Kroger.

BuzzRx’s discount program is also easy to join. “It’s free to get a card or download the app,” Herfield says. You simply need to submit your name, mailing address, and email address to get a discount card or submit your phone number to get the app. Once you have the card or the app, it is ready to use. You don’t have to do anything else to activate your savings, and your card never expires.”

While the card can be used at participating pharmacies to obtain a discount, the app and website offer many other features that further enhance the value of this discount program. Through the app, users can set up price alerts for their prescriptions, set refill reminders, and even search for local pharmacies and compare prices so they can find the most affordable option nearby.

Legitimate Savings Potential

As Herfield reveals, individuals who use the BuzzRx discount program have been able to enjoy significant savings on their prescriptions.

“On average, our members who fill one prescription monthly save about $845 per year by using their BuzzRx card,” Herfield notes. “Most people see a 60% discount on their prescriptions, with an average discount of 10-15% on brand name drugs, though we see savings as high as 90% or more on generic medications.”

Unsurprisingly, the potential savings from using a discount program can be even higher for households needing multiple monthly prescriptions and those relying on higher-cost medications. For example, the mean out-of-pocket costs for insulin and other diabetes-related supplies and services come to $2,414 per year for adults. Even in states with caps on monthly prescription costs for patients, expensive medications can cause major financial hardships.

“Thanks to our large member base, we’re able to negotiate with pharmacies to provide lower prescription prices based on the average wholesale price for each drug,” Herfield explains. “We receive a nominal fee as part of the discounted prescription rate, while the pharmacies benefit from gaining extra foot traffic from customers who use the card to pick up a prescription.”

Discount Programs and Insurance

While the benefits of prescription discount services are immediately apparent to those who lack health insurance, their benefits can be unclear to households with insurance.

“Prescription discount services aren’t a form of insurance, nor are they a replacement for insurance coverage,” Herfield explains. “However, we’ve found that quite often, especially with lower-tier policies, the discounted price available through our program is actually less than what a person might pay with their insurance copay. The savings can be even greater if an individual’s plan requires coinsurance payments for higher-cost drugs. It’s also important to remember that just because you have insurance doesn’t mean all of your medication is covered. Some prescriptions may be excluded by your plan.”

Because discount services like BuzzRx are free and can be used instead of insurance, Herfield recommends that individuals compare the costs of using the discount card to those of using their insurance. Which option to use can be decided on a case-by-case basis to ensure maximized savings.

Lightening the Load

The potential to save hundreds of dollars over the course of the year can make all the difference for a household’s finances. Prescription discount programs are readily available to help people reduce the burden of paying for healthcare — they just need to be aware of them so they can take advantage. 

With BuzzRx’s discount program available nationwide, Herfield hopes that more households can benefit from its services so they can alleviate the burden of prescription medication spending.