OTC Assist™

An Innovative Rx Cost-savings Program

Advances in pharmaceuticals have worked miracles in improving health and saving lives. Access to affordable drugs is a significant issue to millions of people who need them. Fortunately, many drugs used by millions of Americans are available in more affordable generic or over-the-counter (OTC) forms. However,the biggest barrier to healthcare access isn’t cost - it’s lack of information. If people are going to take advantage of less costly alternatives to brand-name prescription drugs, they need to learn what options are available and discuss those options with their physician to see if they are appropriate, and determine how much money they could save if they switched.

Over-the-Counter Access

OTC Assist™ is a cost-savings program designed to encourage the use of Over-the-Counter (OTC) products, rather than the more expensive prescription medications. In the past few years, a number of medications have moved to an OTC status. Zantac®, Naprosyn®, and Motrin® are examples. Traditionally, when these medications became available as OTC, the strength was half that of the prescription medication.

More recently, prescription strength OTCs have entered the market. Prilosec OTC® (PPI) and Claritin® (NSA) are key examples. The OTC strength of these medications is equivalent to the prescription strength. IdealScript’s OTC Assist™ program was designed to encourage/promote the use of OTC medications through plan design incentives, such as lower copayments. This program is meant to be an added valued benefit, for both the member and client. The potential savings on a 30-day supply of NSAs is approximately $50.00 per prescription and a 30-day supply for PPIs is approximately $100.00 per prescription.

Bottom Line

OTC medications will play an extremely vital role in our healthcare. Prescribing physicians should be recommending OTC medications more frequently than in past. Establishing a cost-effective use of prescription and OTC medications makes the most of every dollar spent and saves money on the client’s overall healthcare costs.
Adding OTC Assist™ to your existing prescription benefit program will help.