It's one of the first questions consumers hear at the pharmacy counter, and many hand over their insurance cards in the hopes of getting a good price.
But sometimes using insurance can actually cost more -- and even prevent the pharmacist from saying so.
That's because of so-called gag rules, which bar pharmacists from telling patients when they could save by paying cash instead of using insurance. The rules -- set by companies that manage prescription plans -- are getting new scrutiny after President Donald Trump singled them out for criticism in his plan for lowering drug prices.
The gag rules are included in contracts between pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers, companies that are hired to hold down prescription costs for insurers and employers. Some contracts limit the information pharmacists can share, including when a patient's co-pay exceeds a drug's cash price.
