7 ways to cut medication costs By Mayo Clinic Staff Share Facebook Twitter Print details The rising cost of prescription meds can be hard to fit into your budget. But doing some research and asking questions can bring down the bill without compromising your health. Lower the cost of your meds with expert-approved tricks. Show transcript Go for a generic drug. Get the same active ingredient, quality and purity as you'd find in a brand name, for less money. Save cash with a pill splitter. If your pill comes in a double dose that can be safely split, get two doses for the price of one. Consider a combo pill. Two drugs may mean twice the copays or coinsurance. Ask if your meds come in a combo pill. Buy in bulk. Mail-order pharmacies may send a bigger supply for less money. Ask about assistance programs. Ask your care team or search for one at mat.org. These programs offer free or lower cost drugs. Get a list and check it twice. Ask your insurer for an electronic list of covered drugs (formulary). Bring it to your appointments. Have an open, honest discussion. Let your care team know if cost is keeping you from taking your meds exactly as prescribed. Show references Sheps SG. Living well with high blood pressure. In: Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. 2nd ed. Mayo Clinic; 2018. Saving money on medicines. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/saving-money-medicines. Accessed April 19, 2020. Managing costs and medical information. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/managing-care/track-care-costs. Accessed April 19, 2020. Hunter WG, et al. What strategies do physicians and patients discuss to reduce out-of-pocket costs?: Analysis of cost-saving strategies in 1,755 outpatient clinic visits. Medical Decision Making. 2016; doi:10.1177/0272989X15626384. VID-20508731