Hypertension Medication Costs: Ways to Pay Less

Find Programs That Help Pay for Your Medication

Other savings options include financial assistance programs. Some help lower what you pay at the pharmacy; others may provide the medication for free.

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Where to start depends on your insurance, income, and the medication you take.

Manufacturer Copay Cards

“For brand-name medications, manufacturer assistance programs and copay savings cards are a good starting point, as they can heavily subsidize the out-of-pocket cost,” Basman says.

Copay cards, which are often sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers, can lower the amount you pay when you fill a prescription using commercial insurance, such as coverage through an employer or the health insurance marketplace.

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One example is the maker of Tryvio (aprocitentan) — a medication for difficult-to-control hypertension — which offers copay savings for eligible people with commercial insurance.

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People with Medicare, Medicaid, or other government coverage aren’t eligible for this savings offer.

To find a copay card, check your medication’s manufacturer’s website under terms like “Savings” or “Patient Support,” or ask your pharmacist for help. Be sure to understand how much the program pays, whether there’s an annual limit or monthly maximum, and when the assistance ends.

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Patient Assistance Programs

A drug manufacturer may also have a separate patient assistance program that provides medication at no cost to people who meet its requirements.

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These programs often consider your income and insurance situation. People with Medicare and other government plans may qualify.

Contact the drug manufacturer to ask whether it offers assistance for your medication and how to apply. Your doctor may need to complete part of the application.

You can also search tools like NeedyMeds or America’s Medicines by medication name to find assistance programs and application information.

Some states offer State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs that help eligible residents pay prescription costs, including Medicare drug plan premiums or copays. Availability and eligibility requirements vary by state.

Independent Charities

Charitable assistance for hypertension alone can be limited. But if you also receive treatment for another condition, such as heart failure, a disease-specific fund may help pay for an eligible medication.

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Your care team can determine whether your diagnosis and medication qualify for charitable assistance programs, such as:

Eligibility generally depends on the fund’s medical, income, and insurance requirements, and whether funding is available.

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FundFinder is another tool to track funds for an eligible condition and get alerts when applications open.

Medicare Extra Help

“For Medicare patients, it is worth checking eligibility for the Extra Help program,” Basman says.

Extra Help is a federal program that lowers prescription costs for people with Medicare who meet income and resource limits.

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It helps pay Part D premiums, deductibles, and medication costs. People who qualify generally pay a small copay for covered prescriptions, with different amounts for generics and brand-name medications; some pay nothing.

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