Lower drug bills usually come from stacking several small moves, not one trick. Here are the strategies that work best for seniors.
Seven ways seniors lower drug costs
First, ask your doctor whether a generic or lower-cost therapeutic alternative exists. Second, compare free discount cards like GoodRx and SingleCare to your copay for each drug. Third, request a 90-day supply, which often lowers the per-pill cost. Fourth, use a mail-order pharmacy, frequently the cheapest channel for maintenance medications. Fifth, check whether you qualify for Medicare Extra Help, worth roughly $5,700 a year on average. Sixth, look for manufacturer copay cards on brand-name drugs. Seventh, review your Part D plan every Open Enrollment, since the right plan for your drug list can save hundreds.
Make the 2026 Part D cap work for you
Medicare Part D now caps out-of-pocket drug spending at $2,100 for 2026; once you reach it, covered drugs cost $0 for the rest of the year. Spending paid through your plan counts toward that cap, but money spent with a discount card does not. If you take expensive ongoing medications, using Part D can move you to the cap faster and protect you for the rest of the year. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan also lets you spread your out-of-pocket costs into smoothed monthly payments instead of paying a large bill all at once.
Get a free, personal savings review
The fastest savings come from someone reviewing your whole medication list at once. Call 1-800-MEDIGAP (1-800-633-4427) and a licensed agent will compare discount cards to your copays, check Extra Help eligibility, flag manufacturer programs, and tell you whether a different Part D plan would cover your drugs for less. There is no cost and no obligation, just a clear plan to pay less every month.