Walgreens is collaborating with medication access and transparency technology company RxSense to launch a digital marketplace, Rx Savings Finder, where consumers can save money on medication by comparing prices on free third-party discount prescription cards.

RxSense's SaaS platform allows companies to create a pharmacy benefits platform. The company offers analytics, prescription savings program adjudication, digital marketing, real-time pricing automation and more. 

Walgreens will use RxSense's offerings and provide the free tool to its customers with no subscription fees. Users can access low-cost coupons via their mobile or desktop and receive the coupon via text or email. 

The coupons can be combined with or applied to prescription drug insurance. 

"We’re thrilled to work with Walgreens to launch the Rx Savings Finder tool to bring even lower cost prescriptions to millions of Walgreens customers," Rick Bates, founder and CEO of RxSense, said in a statement. "RxSense is focused on delivering technology solutions to the market that offer price transparency and lower drug costs to our partners and their patients, and this new website will empower more consumers with access to deeper discounts on their medications."

THE LARGER TREND

In 2018, Walgreens launched a program called 365 Get Healthy Here, providing select prescription medications to its team members and their spouses or domestic partners at a $0 copay. Medications for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, weight loss, asthma and coronary artery disease are included in the program and are available to members enrolled in a Walgreens medical plan. 

The pharmacy retail giant also offers its customers the option to enroll in a Prescription Savings Club, a program that provides discounted medications for consumers paying cash for generic medicines. The Savings Club costs $35 for family coverage and $20 for individual coverage.

Other companies in the discounted prescription medication space include Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, which offers its Team Cuban Card. The company says on its website the Card is a benefit rather than a discount card. It pays independent and grocery pharmacies a dispensing fee to support pharmacists and can only be used at MCCPDC's affiliated pharmacies. 

In January, Amazon launched a generic medication subscription service, RxPass, available to Prime members. Through the program, generic drugs are available for common conditions, such as anxiety and high blood pressure, for a flat fee of $5 per month.