Prescription drug savings | CVS Health

Prescription drug savings

We work hard to keep prices down because we know that people who take their medications as prescribed have better outcomes and lower health care costs. CVS Caremark® has pioneered bold approaches to reduce prescription drug costs for our clients and members. Our efforts help more than 100 million people get the medications they need at prices they can afford.

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How we save you money

With more treatment options for many diseases, health care is becoming more complex than ever before. Research shows that 24% of Americans find it hard to afford prescriptions and 29% skipped doses because of costshttps://www.kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kff-health-tracking-poll-february-2019-prescription-drugs/. That is where we come in to help. We work closely with our clients — employers and private and government health plans — to help them get their members the medications they need at an affordable price while meeting health care goals of employees and members. We also partner with benefit consultants to help employers design and deliver more effective prescription drug coverage programs.

I called CVS Caremark and explained that I was prescribed a medication that was $500 out-of-pocket. They researched a medication that would be comparable but not as costly. They were so professional and personable, and I felt like they really cared.

CVS Caremark Member

At our core, we do this on behalf of our clients and members by negotiating directly with pharmaceutical companies to secure the lowest possible price for drugs. We work hard to keep prices down because we know that people who take their medications as prescribed have better outcomes and lower health care costs. We also work with our clients on the designs of their prescription drug benefit plans to best enable them to pass along the value of their negotiated savings to their members. This means, you as a member pay less out of pocket.

Learn more about affordability

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More than 67%

of members spent less than $100 out of pocket, one of the ways we help keep drugs affordable for members.

Savings tools for members

CVS Caremark members, their prescribing physicians and their pharmacists all have immediate access to real-time prescription benefit information, showing them how much a specific drug will cost under their plan. With this information at-hand, physicians and pharmacists can identify an alternative medication within the member’s formulary that is clinically appropriate, if necessary. 

When members switch medications using real-time prescription benefits, they save $120 to $130 per prescription, on average.

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A focus on specialty medicines

Patients taking specialty medicines, which can be complex to administer, as well as expensive, deserve special attention. We do more than just dispense specialty drugs. We are partners in care. Our specially trained pharmacists and nurses help patients start and stay on the best medications to manage their conditions. Our experts educate patients about how to use their medicines appropriately and what side effects or symptoms to watch out for — helping them live more comfortably while reducing unnecessary health care costs. We also offer digital tools that streamline the insurance approval process and speed access to needed drugs.

Learn how we help you save on specialty drugs