By Amina Niasse
NEW YORK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - GoodRx, a prescription drug savings site, announced on Thursday a family healthcare subscription for access to common medical services and over 250 medications, and it plans to launch the program as part of employer health benefits in 2027.
The program, called Companion, offers 250 generic medications for free and discounted access to telehealth, vision, dental and lab services for families paying $24.99 each month.
The subscription was previously only available
directly to consumers on an individual basis. Individual Companion subscriptions cost $14.99 monthly.
CEO Wendy Barnes said the launch is meant to address affordability gaps families are facing amid changes to health insurance coverage.
"America’s healthcare affordability crisis is widening on both sides of the insurance divide," said Barnes, adding cost pressures are impacting entire households, while affordability tools often focus on individual patients. "Rising deductibles, out-of-pocket costs and coverage restrictions mean that having insurance no longer guarantees affordable access to care."
GoodRx says it is already lining up employers that want to offer the program. Those partnerships are expected to start January 1, 2027.
A spokesperson for GoodRx said employers can choose to subsidize the membership costs, and employees who choose to enroll would pay any remaining share.
During this year's second quarter, GoodRx's subscription revenue increased 39% year over year, and uptake for the Companion program exceeded expectations, Barnes said.
Employers expect healthcare costs to increase 9.2% in 2027, if they do not take action to mitigate expenses, according to the Business Group on Health.
Some employers aiming to manage cost increases plan to offer plans with higher deductibles, requiring workers to pay more out of pocket before insurance coverage takes effect, the Business Group on Health said.
"Pressure on insured consumers may be just as consequential as the number of people who lose coverage," said Barnes. "A person can have insurance and still face a prescription price they cannot afford."
(Reporting by Amina Niasse; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
