Prescription drug coverage is a confusing mess
A good analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation
According to one analysis, 90% of all prescriptions filled in the U.S. in 2024 were generics. Regardless of the form of payment (private insurance or self -pay), generic equivalents are often cheaper than brand-name drugs, sometimes even after discounts offered through TrumpRx.
About half (22) of the drugs on TrumpRx have generic equivalents available in the U.S., at least three-quarters (17) of which are less expensive via GoodRx discounts or direct purchase from Cost Plus Drugs than the TrumpRx coupon price for the brand-name version.
Five brand-name drugs on TrumpRx are less expensive on TrumpRx than their generic equivalents on the other two websites.
Generic drugs generally have more favorable cost-sharing arrangements than brand-name drugs through insurance, decreasing patient out-of-pocket responsibility for patients using private insurance. Since usual and customary retail prices for these generic drugs are so much lower than their brand-name equivalents, they are cheaper for self-pay patients as well.
There is no disclaimer on TrumpRx stating that consumers could pay less than the TrumpRx price by purchasing a generic alternative.
If a generic version is available, pharmacists may substitute the generic equivalent for the brand-name drug (and as of 2022, 17 states and the District of Columbia7 required this) unless the prescriber indicates to “dispense as written” on the prescription or the patient specifically requests the brand-name.
In these states, a consumer who presents a TrumpRx coupon at the pharmacy for a brand-name drug might automatically end up paying less without using the coupon when the prescription is filled with a generic.
Indeed, the “Frequently Asked Questions” at the bottom of the TrumpRx landing page indicates that pharmacies are not required to dispense the TrumpRx discounted drug.
Excerpt from Kaiser Family Foundation.org
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