A company that saves you money on prescription costs Good R has partnered with grocery chain Publix to offer its GoodRx Gold platform to Publix customers.
In addition to savings on prescription drugs, the Gold platform also offers telemedicine options such as provider visits and telepharmacy appointments.
We spoke with Doug Hirsch, co-founder and chief mission officer at GoodRx. Mobi Health News Discuss the partnership and what GoodRx has planned for 2024.
Mobi Health News: Can you tell us about the partnership between GoodRx and Publix? How will this increase access for the Publix consumer base?
Doug Hirsch: GoodRx Gold is the best of GoodRx. It is a membership program where consumers register. Goodrx.com Or through our mobile app, you can access it at incredibly low prices, so you can find care solutions that are fundamentally affordable.
It can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for consumers, whether or not they have health insurance. GoodRx is often thought of as just for people without insurance, but even if you have health insurance, you can still find incredibly low prices.
We also offer discounted telehealth visits if you can't make it to the doctor and would like to see someone you know via Zoom. It's worked at Albertsons, CVS, Safeway, and of course now Publix as well. Publix Pharmacy is his 1,200th store.
MHN: How does that work specifically for Publix consumers? If I'm a Publix customer, do I sign up for GoodRx through Publix or through GoodRx?
Hirsch: Sign up on the GoodRx website.
All you have to do is answer a few questions and tell us who you are, and you basically get a card that's on a mobile app. Or get a physical card if you want to keep it in your wallet. . And you get the same kind of number that someone has for insurance, just like an insurance card. You literally just bring it in, show it to your pharmacist, save it on file, and GoodRx is used for every transaction.
It works just like insurance and pharmacists know what it is. There's nothing wrong with going to the pharmacy.
MHN: Can you tell us about some of the prescriptions included in GoodRx Gold? Is insulin covered?
Hirsch: GoodRx Gold is ideal for generic drugs. Approximately 90% of medicines taken by consumers Generic drugs are sold in this country, where prices are the most volatile and can sometimes be sold at incredibly high prices even with insurance coverage.
Therefore, we mainly deal with generic drugs. GoodRx allows you to purchase multiple medications at discounted prices. We often offer great discounts on brand-name and generic drugs. But I think it depends on the individual drug, and often the individual dose and form you're looking for. But again, it works for thousands of medicines, and it works for the majority of medicines that consumers are looking for refills.
MHN: Can you tell me more about GoodRx Gold's telemedicine services?
Hirsch: We offer many helpful services.
We have tests for everything from general care tests and skin screenings to hair medication refills, pregnancy tests, yeast infections, and more. So there are basically a variety of reasons and potential issues why a doctor can basically talk to you on the phone or a computer, and if you need a prescription, they can't actually prescribe it at the pharmacy. Masu. Of course, you can also get it using the gold discount. GoodRx is available to everyone, but let me be clear that Gold offers discounted pricing.
MHN: What is GoodRx looking forward to in 2024?
Hirsch: We have the generic drugs that you and I talked about, but we also have a rapidly growing business with branded drugs. The medicine you read in the headline is $1,000 or $10,000. Find medicines starting at $0.
We have continued to improve our relationships with retailers such as: walgreens, CVSand walmart – These are America’s pharmacies, and we are building deeper and better relationships with them, which benefits consumers not only in price but also in convenience.
And recently, we've integrated GoodRx directly into many insurance plans. So, if you have an insurance policy, you can potentially benefit from lower prices with GoodRx automatically included in your insurance policy. So you don't even need to sign up. There is no need to visit our website or print a coupon. If you have a qualifying plan, you can literally just show your insurance card and get the lowest price on GoodRx or your insurance.