Prescription Drugs

Learn about which prescription drugs you can afford and what to do if you can’t pay:

If you need a prescription drug now, there may be financial help. Call 2-1-1 and ask for help paying for your prescriptions.

Learning what the insurance pays for:

A formulary is a list of drugs your insurance covers. It has four levels, or tiers:

  • $ Level 1: Generic drugs

    • These are the most affordable

  • $$ Level 2: Low-cost brand-name drugs

    • These cost a bit more

  • $$$ Level 3: Brand-name drugs

    • These cost even more than level 1 and 2 drugs

  • $$$$ Level 4: Specialty drugs

    • These cost the most, they are for rare health problems

If your insurance won’t pay for the drug:

Call your insurance and ask how you can get the prescription drug covered.

If they can’t help you can file an appeal.

  • An appeal is when you fill out forms to tell the insurance company why they should cover the medicine or service you need.

How to get affordable prescription drugs:

  • Ask your doctor if generic drugs can be used for your health problems

  • Ask your pharmacist which drugs are covered and how much they cost. You can also ask if the company that makes the drug has financial help available and how to apply.