Key takeaways
Copay cards, offered by drug manufacturers to those with commercial insurance, can significantly lower the cost of brand-name medications.
The primary method to find a copay card is by visiting the drug manufacturer’s website and searching for the medication name followed by “copay card.”
Other ways to find out if a copay card is available include calling the drug manufacturer, asking healthcare providers or pharmacists, or checking with nonprofit organizations like Needy Meds.
In case a copay card is not available for a specific medication, services like SingleCare offer an alternative way to save money on prescriptions by providing free drug coupons.
Your healthcare provider prescribed you a brand-name medication. But, when you head to the pharmacy to pick it up, you’re shocked by its high price—and that’s with insurance. It’s a newer drug with no generic available, and even though you need it to manage a chronic health condition, there’s no way you’ll be able to afford it regularly. If you have to take an expensive prescription medication like Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes, Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis, or Biktarvy for HIV, there’s good news.
In many instances, a manufacturer copay card is available to offset the high cost of brand-name drugs. Provided by drug companies to patients with commercial insurance, copay cards offer discounts on brand-name drugs to make them more accessible. Here’s how to find a copay card for your Rx.
RELATED: What are manufacturer copay cards?
Where to find a copay card
There are several options to determine if a copay card is available for your brand-name medication.
1. Visit the drug manufacturer’s website
This is the best place to find copay cards. Just type the name of your brand-name drug followed by the words “copay card” into your search browser, and locate the drug’s website. For example, the copay card for Enbrel, which has a list price of $1,762.34 per weekly 50 mg dose, can be accessed here (bringing the cost of the drug down to as little as $5 per month).
Once you locate the copay card information on the drug’s website, simply follow the prompts to enroll in the program. Eligibility criteria will vary, but one requirement of all copay cards is that you must have commercial health insurance. Uninsured patients or those with government-funded insurance like Medicare or Medicaid are not able to use copay cards.
2. Call the drug manufacturer
The website for your brand-name drug will list a phone number that you can call to find out options for financial assistance. Or, you can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for the drugmaker’s contact information. This is a good option if you are unclear about how to enroll in their particular copay card program or require additional information about eligibility requirements.
3. Ask your provider
If a provider prescribes a specific drug often—for example, an endocrinologist who prescribes Ozempic to diabetes patients—there may be copay cards available for the medication. You can also ask your pharmacist for information about copay cards before you pick up your prescription. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to qualify for and enroll in the program before receiving the discount.
4. Visit Needy Meds
This nonprofit organization provides an easy way to check for manufacturer copay cards. Visit needymeds.org for a list of brand-name drugs. Next, type in the name of your medication for links to the manufacturer and drug websites.Once you have your copay card, you’ll need to present it to your pharmacist to receive the discount, just as you would with your insurance card.
RELATED: How to use manufacturer copay cards
Even if you can’t find a copay card for your medication, SingleCare is here to help you save big! It’s easy. Just follow these three steps:
- Download our iOS or Android app or go to our website.
- Search for your medication, and adjust for quantity, dosage, and zip code.
- Choose the participating pharmacy closest to you and either print, text, or email yourself a free drug coupon.
When you go to the pharmacy, show your pharmacist the coupon to save.