It’s one of the first questions consumers hear at the pharmacy counter, and many hand over their insurance cards in the hopes of getting a good price. But sometimes using insurance can actually cost more — and even prevent the pharmacist from saying so.
That’s because of so-called gag rules, which bar pharmacists from telling patients when they could save by paying cash instead of using insurance. The rules — set by companies that manage prescription plans — are getting new scrutiny after President Donald Trump singled them out for criticism in his plan for lowering drug prices.
A little history on these Gag rules for drug pricing.
I’m thrilled with the change. I only have Medicare Part A. On the rare occasions I’ve used medical care or pharmaceuticals, providers have gotten very sloppy about having knowledge about what lower cost options are available. They’re in the very bad habit of choosing options because “they’re covered”. With dental, it’s gotten so it’s tough to get dentists to even discuss options which are less expensive than what insured patients have in their plans.