Save with generic medicine

Generic medications have the same benefits, ingredients and safety as brand-name medications but without the hefty price tag. With the price of prescription medicine rising, it’s nice to find where you can save money without compromising on quality.

The average copay on brand-name medications is over 6 times the price of generic medications. So instead of overspending for brand-name drugs, save that money and get the same product for 1/6 of the cost.¹

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does testing to ensure that the quality and standards of generic medications are the same as brand-name medications. This way you know when you buy generic medications, you're receiving quality. In fact, the similarities far outweigh the differences.

Similarities

According to the FDA, generic drugs are similar to brand-name medicines in the following ways:

• Same active ingredients
• Identical in dosage
• Strength
• Quality
• Safety
• Often manufactured in the same facilities
• Performance characteristics and intended use

Differences

There are only two differences between generic and brand-name medicines: the inactive ingredients, such as flavoring or preservatives, and more importantly, the cost. Generics are generally less expensive than brand names.²

Generic medications on average are 80–85% less expensive than brand-name medications.³ Humana members can see how much they may save by signing in to MyHumana and selecting "Drug Pricing Tool" at the bottom of the page under "Tools & Resources."

Always talk to your doctor about the best course of your treatment. Some medicines don't have a generic version but your doctor or pharmacist can see if there are alternatives you can try. You may find the savings are well worth the change.

Below is a list of common brand-name medications and the generic version.