HealthPartners launches web feature to comparison shop for lowest cost medications

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – A new feature on healthpartners.com helps members comparison shop for medications. The prescription shopping tool is one of the first of its kind to identify what a member will pay out-of-pocket and what the health plan will pay for medications at nearby pharmacies. The information is personalized and combines real-time prices with the consumer’s specific plan.

“Making health care more affordable is a top priority for us. This tool makes it easier for members to see and compare prices which can help lower the cost of their care,” said Scott Schnuckle, senior vice president, pharmacy and business development at HealthPartners. “In addition, studies show that the cost of medication is a top reason why up to 50 percent of prescriptions are not filled or are not taken as prescribed. This tool will help remove that barrier to better health.”

The tool is available to most commercial health plan members who have an account on healthpartners.com or on the myHP mobile app. HealthPartners plans to make it available early next year to its members enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.

The prescription shopping tool was developed in partnership with GoodRx. GoodRx presents opportunities for savings from more than 65,000 pharmacies in HealthPartners network nationwide. This will help consumers:

• Compare current prices at local pharmacies and mail order if available.
• Identify the best choice for a single pharmacy for members with multiple medications.
• Know if medications are covered by their health plan. If it is not, the tool will identify alternate medications.
• Transfer prescriptions from one pharmacy to another with just two clicks.
• Know if refills are available.
• Find ways to save money. This includes a 90-day supply, a generic, an alternate medication or a non-prescription medication.
• Get added value from the myHP mobile app which features other services including test results, account balances and out-of-pocket spending.

The ability to shop for the lowest cost medications is especially useful for members who have a high deductible health plan. These plans have out-of-pocket costs of at least $1,300 a year for an individual or $2,600 for a family. More than one third of HealthPartners members have these plans and the number is expected to grow.