TrumpRx, Cost Plus Drugs & GoodRx: Which One Actually Helps Your Patients Save?
- Newly launched TrumpRx offers cash discounts on select brand-name drugs but often has cheaper generic options via GoodRx or Cost Plus Drugs.
- Cost Plus Drugs shines for its vast selection, transparent generic pricing and mail-order delivery, ideal for uninsured patients on long-term meds.
- Always have patients compare insurance copays against cash prices from all three tools—GoodRx makes local pharmacy comparisons easiest.
Prescription drug costs continue to be a major barrier to treatment adherence, and nurses are often the first clinicians patients turn to with questions about affordability. In 2026, three names are showing up more frequently in conversations about lower drug prices: TrumpRx, Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, and GoodRx.
While these tools all aim to reduce out-of-pocket costs, they work in very different ways. Understanding those differences can help nurses explain options clearly and realistically to patients.
What Is TrumpRx?
TrumpRx is a new federal prescription drug pricing website that launched on February 5, 2026. It was created under the current administration to help patients access discounted prices on certain brand-name medications by showing cash prices and linking users to manufacturer or coupon options rather than selling drugs directly. At launch, Trump said: “You’re going to save a fortune… And this is also so good for overall health care.”
The site lists 43 drugs at launch, including treatments for diabetes, fertility, obesity, thyroid issues, and more. For these drugs, TrumpRx displays lower cash prices that participating pharmaceutical companies have agreed to offer directly to patients or via coupon partners.
Unlike a traditional pharmacy, TrumpRx does not dispense medications. Instead, it points patients to places where they can buy discounted drugs — often the manufacturer’s own site or a coupon that can be used at a local pharmacy. Many of the prices displayed on TrumpRx are powered by GoodRx’s existing pricing and coupon infrastructure.
Who Might Benefit
- Patients without insurance or with high deductibles
- Those paying out of pocket for expensive brand medications
- People seeking specific drugs not covered well by insurance
Important Limitations for Patients
- In most cases, prices are cash prices that do not count toward insurance deductibles or out‑of‑pocket maximums. Patients should confirm with their plan if they are unsure.
- An Axios analysis found that many drugs on the list have generic alternatives that are often cheaper through other services.
What Is Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs?
Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, often referred to as Cost Plus Drugs, is a private online pharmacy launched in January 2022. Its mission is to make medications more affordable by selling generics at cost-plus pricing — the actual cost of the drug plus a fixed markup, a pharmacy service fee, and shipping.
The company was co-founded by entrepreneur Mark Cuban and physician Alex Oshmyansky with the goal of removing middlemen that typically drive up drug prices.
How It Works
Cost Plus Drugs primarily focuses on generic medications, offering pricing information and direct delivery to patients’ homes. No insurance is required.
Who Might Benefit
- Patients taking long-term generic medications
- Those without insurance or with high copays
- People comfortable ordering medications online
Because Cost Plus Drugs bypasses pharmacy benefit managers and traditional pricing markups, many generics are advertised at prices that are often lower than typical retail cash prices.
What Is GoodRx?
GoodRx is a healthcare platform founded in 2011 that provides prescription price comparisons and discount coupons to help patients find low drug prices at pharmacies across the United States.
GoodRx tracks prices at more than 75,000 pharmacies nationwide, and its website and app allow patients to compare local cash prices and print or show coupons that can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
GoodRx also offers telemedicine services and GoodRx Care, which lets patients consult online providers for some prescriptions.
Who Might Benefit
- Patients looking for the lowest local price on a specific drug
- Those using coupons to reduce out-of-pocket costs
- Patients with or without insurance, depending on their coverage
GoodRx pricing is also integrated into TrumpRx for many drugs, meaning that GoodRx helps power the prices shown on that government platform.
When to Suggest Each to Patients
- TrumpRx
- Good choice when patients are uninsured and need a specific brand-name drug that isn’t easy to find cheaper elsewhere.
- Less helpful if the drug already has a low-cost generic alternative available.
- Cost Plus Drugs
- A useful resource for patients who take multiple generics and want predictable, transparent pricing.
- Best for medications where the cost-plus model undercuts traditional retail by removing intermediaries.
- GoodRx
- Often the first stop when patients ask “Where can I get this cheaper?” because it shows local pharmacy prices and coupons.
- Helpful for people with or without insurance, especially when insurance copays are high.
How to Explain It to Your Patients
- For uninsured patients: “TrumpRx and GoodRx may show lower cash prices on some medications. GoodRx compares local pharmacy prices and coupons, while TrumpRx shows cash prices negotiated by the government for select brand drugs.”
- For patients with insurance: “Check your insurance first — sometimes your copay is cheaper than any cash price. GoodRx can still help you compare cash versus copay prices.”
- For generics: “Cost Plus Drugs often has the lowest costs for generics because it sells at cost plus a small markup.”
Bottom Line for Nurses
These three tools answer different needs in the ongoing challenge of medication affordability:
- TrumpRx offers a new government portal with discounted cash prices on selected drugs.
- Cost Plus Drugs focuses on low-cost generic medications through direct pricing.
- GoodRx remains a broad price comparison tool with coupons that many patients already use.
Helping patients understand these differences can empower them to make choices that support adherence and better health outcomes — and it helps you provide care that’s both medically and financially informed.
🤔Nurses, do you have patients who have asked about these platforms? Share your thoughts below.
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