Like millions of Americans, Jamie Donahue knows the steep costs of prescription drugs.
"My stepmom, she actually has a seizure disorder, and she has to pay $1,200 a month," she said. "The drug manufacturers, they pocket way too much."
It goes beyond her personal life. As a nurse, Donahue cares for patients who skip medications because of the cost.
RELATED STORY | TrumpRX: What it is and how medical experts are reacting
"A lot of them come into the hospital, and they don't take their prescribed medications because they can't afford them," she said. "It's very, very sad."
Watch as pharmacists show the advantages and limitations of TrumpRx:
What is TrumpRx?
Lowering the cost of prescription drugs is the goal of TrumpRx.gov, the federal prescription drug portal officially launched in February.
According to the White House, "patients will be able to access large discounts on many of the most popular and highest-priced medicines in the country, paying prices in line with the lowest paid by other developed nations."
Kevin Day, president of Day's Pharmacy, has been fielding questions about the program.
"This is a way to get better prices on brand-name specific products," Day said.
Day explained that TrumpRx is not a pharmacy. Instead, the program directs patients to self-pay websites or provides coupons to bring to local pharmacies.
On the site, patients can browse medications to view price, details, percentage off and how to claim the deal — by purchasing from the manufacturer directly or by coupon, which users can print or save to a digital wallet. Savings range from 50% to nearly 90% off.
Chantix, a medication to help adults stop smoking, for example, is $212. The TrumpRx price is $106, a savings of 50%.
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Day said the $199 price tag on Wegovy represents the lowest cash price anywhere for the weight loss medication.
Downsides of TrumpRx
While the program offers significant savings for some patients, pharmacy experts warn consumers not to assume the prices are always the lowest available.
Currently, TrumpRx offers only 43 medications, and the site exclusively lists name-brand drugs without generic alternatives.
Day said his pharmacy offers generic versions of some TrumpRx medications for significantly less money.
The acid reflux drug Protonix costs $200 through TrumpRx, but his store sells the generic version for less than $15.
Another limitation: TrumpRx prices cannot be combined with Medicare or Medicaid benefits, making the program primarily useful for cash-paying customers who are not covered by insurance.
If you have health insurance, Darren Covington with the Indiana Pharmacy Association advises patients to check their co-pay first. Your insurance co-pay could be cheaper. He points out that even if TrumpRx prices are lower, cash prescriptions don't count toward your deductible.
"If you're never going to meet that deductible because you keep paying the cash price, you'll probably end up actually paying more in the long run," Covington said.
He notes there are exceptions, so it's worth comparing prices.
"You might have certain drugs like some of the GLP-1s that are being used for weight loss that aren't covered very widely by insurance companies," Covington said.
According to NerdWallet, other options for drug discounts include:
- GoodRx
- RxSaver
- SingleCare
- Optum Perks
- Walgreens Rx savings finder
- AARP prescription discount card
- America's pharmacy discount card
For better prices, pharmacy experts recommend talking to local pharmacists before making purchasing decisions.
"We're always looking to save our patients money, so if there are good deals, we want you to know about them," Kevin Day said.
That way, you don't waste your money.
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