CVS Caremark partners with GoodRx to expand low-cost drug access

CVS Caremark, a pharmacy benefit manager and part of CVS Health, announced it is partnering with drug cost and telehealth company GoodRx to launch Caremark Cost Saver, providing Caremark’s members access to GoodRx’s lower-cost prescription pricing.  

Beginning January 1, 2024, Caremark’s members can use their existing benefit card at an in-network pharmacy of their choice to automatically have access to GoodRx’s low-price generic drugs through Cost Saver. The amount members pay will be applied to their deductible and out-of-pocket costs. 

“We work every day to provide a more affordable drug benefit for our CVS Caremark clients and their plan members, and this collaborative prescription discount solution enables us to dynamically shop for the best price on their behalf,” David Joyner, executive vice president of CVS Health and president of CVS Caremark, said in a statement. “By lowering out-of-pocket costs for our clients’ members, Caremark Cost Saver will help patients afford to take their medicine as directed.”

THE LARGER TREND

In February, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court in California alleging GoodRx shared consumers’ personal health information with third parties like Google and Facebook, allowing those parties to use the data for their own internal purposes.

The FTC claimed GoodRx provided information about its users’ prescription medications and health conditions for advertising purposes, such as targeting users with health-related ads on Facebook based on drugs they previously purchased. 

The agency also said GoodRx misrepresented its HIPAA compliance and failed to set policies on how it should protect its users’ personal health information. 

GoodRx agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine to settle the case but admitted no wrongdoing. 

In 2022, the FTC issued orders to CVS Caremark, Prime Therapeutics, Express Scripts and several other companies as part of its inquiry into how pharmacy benefit managers impact accessibility and affordability of prescription drugs. The orders required the companies to provide information and records regarding their business practices.  

In May, the FTC added CVS Health’s group purchasing organization Zinc Health Services and rebate contracting organization Ascent Health Services to its list of PBMs it is examining.