Save Money Fast on Prescriptions with Hippo

As moms, we’re always looking to save money and time. That’s where our new partner, Hippo, comes in. It’s a free digital savings card that helps people save up to 97% on their prescription medications—just by using their app or website to instantly compare medication prices across pharmacies. You find your best option and then show your Hippo card (which is texted to your phone, which just takes 5 seconds) to the pharmacist. “On average, Hippo customers save $280/year on their medications. Hippo members save most when a medication is not covered by their plan or if they are under their deductible,” explains Hippo Co-founder Charles A. Jacoby. We spoke to him about this unique brand, his expert tips for saving on healthcare costs, and more:

Is Hippo available in many locations?

Yes—Hippo is accepted at over 70,000 pharmacies including CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid,Costco, grocery chains, and most independent pharmacies. What’s great about using the free Hippo savings card is that it works whether you have insurance or not.

That’s wonderful. What are some of your favorite moments with the company?

Many Hippo users write to us about their savings. One person wrote “We used to pay thousands of dollars a year for medication and now we are down to a few hundred a year!” Another customer told us: “On average, my prescription costs upwards of $100. With Hippo, I was able to purchase it for $14. I purchase my medication every other month, so having this as an option to save money has been great.”

Amazing! As someone in the industry, what are some smart tips for saving money on healthcare?

The Affordable Care Act has enabled more people to have coverage and access to health care. However, health insurance surveys have shown that an increasing number of people are underinsured (source). Insurance companies are offering plans with higher deductibles, more narrow networks, and fewer medications covered under their plans. Families in the United States spent more than $3 trillion on health care costs in 2016, and according to National Health Expenditure Data, this amounted to on average 19% of household incomes. Here are ways to save, whether you have insurance or not:

Lower the Cost of Prescription Medications (by using Hippo!)
Ask your pharmacist for Generic Medications
If you have insurance, Avoid Picking Up Prescriptions Early (Wait until insurance will cover.)
Many Over the Counter Meds May Actually be Cheaper With a Prescription (For instance, the allergy medication Claritin is $15 to $20 OTC, but Loratadine is only $4 to $6 in generic form, using Hippo.)
Follow Up on Insurance Discrepancies (If a bill doesn’t look right, be sure to call.)
Focus on Finding In-Network Providers
Don’t Forgot About an HSA/FSA
Stay on Top of Preventative Care (so you don’t get sick or develop expensive conditions)
Know Your Insurance Policy (Understand what the deductibles are, who the preferred providers are, etc.)

Good tips! So if, what’s the process?

We try to make it as easy as possible to receive a Hippo card. For everyone in The Local Moms Network, simply text “MOMS” to Hippo (44776) and we will text you a free digital Hippo card to add to your mobile wallet. There is no cost to joining Hippo, so you can relax and save.

Here are the step by step instructions:

Go to your text messages and enter HIPPO (44776) in the phone number field
In the message field type “MOMS”
Hit “send”
Receive your Hippo card and start saving!

This story is sponsored by Hippo.

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