Can TrumpRx Save You Money if You Pay Out of Pocket?
Maybe. In the case of diabetes and obesity medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, TrumpRx may save you money, Dr. Cubanski says, depending on your health insurance coverage.
On TrumpRx, the out-of-pocket cost of the Wegovy pill drops from $1,349 to $149 a month for a starter dose, depending on the medication strength. The price of Gonal-F drops from $966 to $168 per pen, depending on dosage strength.
But it’s worth noting that other discount sites, like GoodRx, offer the same price for the Wegovy pill. (Gonal-F is significantly higher on GoodRx, though.)
People paying out of pocket for the Wegovy pill can also get $149 starter doses by purchasing it directly from manufacturer Novo Nordisk through the company’s NovoCare Pharmacy.
Experts stress that people with private health insurance should double-check the pricing on their plan, as well as their deductible.
What Are the Biggest Benefits of TrumpRx?
The biggest benefits are likely for people who are uninsured or underinsured, according to Cubanski. “If you don’t have health insurance, you need one of these medications, and you’re currently paying the full list price, you can save some money by using the TrumpRx coupon,” she says. This could expand access for some people, she points out.
People prescribed obesity medications and fertility drugs may stand to benefit the most, given that these may not be covered by insurance, Hoadley says. That’s also true if there are strict parameters around insurance coverage for these medications. “In some cases, insurance will only cover a drug like Ozempic if it’s for diabetes or a cardiac situation, but not for weight loss,” he points out. “Then it would be a better price through this program.”
What Are the Biggest Limitations of TrumpRx?
Savings are only on brand names, which can be deceptive when comparing prices. Generic versions of brand name drugs are almost certainly cheaper, and some may even be available without a prescription. Alan points to the TrumpRx cost of acid reflux drug Protonix, which starts at $200. “You could get a comparable drug over the counter — Prevacid, for example — for $7,” she says.
The offered medications are limited, and even if someone needs a particular drug, Cubanski points out that there are a few steps to get the discount. “We’re giving people another option, but people have to go through several steps to see if they will get a lower price through the TrumpRx website, GoodRx or similar websites, or their insurance,” she says.
For people with insurance, “If you have a deductible, whatever you pay out of pocket through the TrumpRx portal won’t count toward it,” Cubanski says. As a result, you may end up saving a few dollars on a certain medication, but “you could end up overpaying elsewhere,” Hoadley says.
TrumpRx “increases the fragmentation in the way people get their medications,” Cubanski says. Meaning, people may end up having different prescriptions from different places. “If there’s not one provider that has eyes on all of the medications you’re using, that could increase the potential for dangerous drug interactions or duplicate prescriptions,” she says.
Should You Use TrumpRx?
If you’re interested in using TrumpRx, Hoadley recommends thinking about your existing options first. “If you’re insured, understand where your insurance coverage is helping,” he says. “Maybe you’re eligible for Medicaid and haven’t applied. Sometimes there are additional benefits through existing programs.”
To accurately compare prices, he recommends doing online comparison shopping or talking to your local pharmacist. “They can tell people what it’s going to cost using your insurance or purchasing directly from the pharmacy without using insurance,” he says. “You may have to check a few different places to see the best overall price.”
In the case of select medications, TrumpRx may help to save you money. But ultimately, “This is for a narrow slice of people,” Hoadley says.
