GoodRx, Surescripts Team For Real-Time Drug Discounts

GoodRx has struck a deal with Surescripts on the Real-Time Prescription Benefit electronic drug discount pricing program to help uninsured patients and those who can’t get pricing information from their health plans, according to a press release.

About one-third of Americans have skipped filling a prescription for an existing chronic condition at least once because of the cost, according to a GoodRx survey cited in the release.

The service allows prescribers to choose the appropriate medication for the patient based on the patient’s ability to pay. Using Surescripts Real-Time Prescription Benefit, prescribers can give patients discount pricing from GoodRx, the release stated.

“Providing prescription price transparency at the point of care is critical to improving medication adherence and ensuring patients can receive the treatment they need,” said Surescripts Chief Product Officer Mike Pritts in the release. “With the addition of our drug discount pricing feature for uninsured patients as well as patients whose price information isn’t already available from their [pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)] or health plan, Real-Time Prescription Benefit arms prescribers with more of the information they need, so they can have meaningful cost conversations and get patients started on medication they can access and afford.”

Surescripts connects almost all electronic health records (EHRs) software vendors, pharmacies and health systems across its network. Surescripts delivered more than 2 billion electronic prescriptions last year.

Read more: The Potential Power And Many Perils In Attempting To Digitize The Rx Market

GoodRx is part of the $465 billion digital prescription drug industry that also includes digital pharmacy newcomers like Amazon and Walmart, established pharmacy players like CVS and Walgreens and fellow up-and-comers Alto, Capsule and Medly.

DoorDash is partnering with GoodRx so its network of drivers can gain access to GoodRx’s gold-level subscription program, which offers exclusive prescription savings of up to 90 percent on more than 1,000 drugs, discounts for online doctor visits and free mail delivery for prescriptions.