For too long, the cost of prescriptions has been shrouded in mystery. Patients show up at the pharmacy counter only to be blindsided by costs they never saw coming, confused by copays, high deductibles, and opaque coverage rules. It’s no wonder almost a billion prescriptions are left at the pharmacy counter each year.

A well-structured DTC pricing model offers a way forward. By allowing patients to pay a simple, predictable cash price without having to navigate insurance hurdles, it can expand access to critical treatments. This isn’t just beneficial for consumers. It also reduces the administrative burden on healthcare professionals who spend countless hours helping their patients overcome these insurance barriers. 

To be clear, this isn’t a radical new idea. At GoodRx, we’ve been offering cash discount prices for nearly 15 years and have an unmatched presence at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide. In this time, we’ve processed billions of prescriptions and seen firsthand that when patients are offered an affordable, transparent price (particularly for expensive brand medications) they often choose to pay a cash discount price over using their insurance. Doing this at scale offers real potential. 

But designing a DTC strategy that truly works for patients, and for the larger healthcare ecosystem, requires more than simply announcing a lower price. Drug pricing is complex and deeply interconnected. It requires the right infrastructure and collaboration between manufacturers, pharmacies and PBMs to create scalable solutions. 

At GoodRx, we believe the reach and scale of our trusted platform is unrivaled in the industry. With over 300 million site visits in 2024 alone, we enable pharma manufacturers to put savings directly in the hands of the patients who need them. Currently, we have more than 80 point-of-sale cash prices on our platform where the manufacturer buys down the price of a brand medication via GoodRx so it’s more affordable for the consumer. 

Based on our experience, here’s what we’ve learned are three essential elements for getting DTC pricing models right:

A frictionless user experience: Patients don’t want to spend time hunting down savings across multiple sites or enrolling in complicated programs. They want one simple platform that shows them an accessible price upfront and is easy to use. If working in this industry for almost 30 years has taught me anything, it’s that most people don’t have the time or patience to navigate complicated healthcare processes. Creating something intuitive is critical. Seamless access across pharmacies: Patients want to be able to use cash discount prices at any pharmacy of their choosing. Providing a narrow network or mail-order-only option defeats the purpose. A viable strategy needs to integrate both large retail pharmacies along with independent pharmacies, so patients can fill wherever it’s most convenient. That’s why GoodRx has partnered with over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, from national chains to regional grocers, and recently launched its Community Link program for independent pharmacies. Our network enables manufacturers to launch DTC programs that are truly accessible.Strategic collaboration with platforms built for scale: DTC pricing can’t succeed in a vacuum. It demands coordination across manufacturers, pharmacies and technology platforms. The right partners bring the infrastructure and consumer trust needed to operationalize complex programs quickly. GoodRx has spent years building that foundation with nearly 30 million consumers and over one million healthcare professionals using us annually, established pharmacy partners, and a platform designed to deliver affordability at scale. We’re ready to help manufacturers bring DTC strategies to market efficiently and with maximum impact.

At the same time, while a DTC strategy has the power to improve the healthcare system, it’s important to acknowledge that not every proposed policy aimed at reducing drug costs is without risk. The order might reduce list prices for certain drugs, but not all patients will benefit equally. Those with percentage-based coinsurance could see reduced out-of-pocket costs, but patients with fixed-dollar copays may see little to no change in what they pay. Patients who stand to lose coverage due to policy changes could pay prices in the hundreds or thousands per month even with the new lower DTC prices from manufacturers.  

Overall, the power of direct-to-consumer solutions for expensive drugs is real. But policymakers and industry leaders must work together to make this vision a reality in a realistic way. It’s not about dismantling the system, it’s about evolving it. Direct-to-consumer pricing, if done right, can complement insurance and unlock new pathways to access for millions of Americans. At GoodRx, we are actively advocating for policies that will expand access to affordable medications.

It’s time for a smarter, more transparent approach that meets patients where they are and puts affordability within reach for everyone.