About RxPlainly

RxPlainly is an independent publishing project with one job: explain how prescription drug pricing works in the United States, in language a normal person can understand.

Why this site exists

The U.S. drug-pricing system is genuinely confusing — formularies, tiers, deductibles, prior authorizations, pharmacy benefit managers, discount cards that sometimes beat insurance. Most explanations are written by insurers (for their funnel), drug companies (for their products), or forums (anecdotally). We write the missing version: careful, plain-English explainers about the system — the money, the rules, and the paperwork.

Who runs it

RxPlainly is an independent publishing project. Our writers are patient advocates who translate insurance paperwork into plain English — and every guide is reviewed by D.P., a licensed Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), before it publishes.

We keep individual names private deliberately: this site stands on the quality of its research, and our independence from insurers, pharmacy chains, and drug companies is the point. Nobody here is your doctor or your pharmacist, and nothing on this site creates that relationship.

How we research

Every guide is built from primary sources: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and independent research organizations like KFF. We link our sources at the bottom of every article so you can check our work. When rules or numbers change, we update the guide.

What we will never do

Tell you whether to take, stop, or switch a medication.
Give dosage guidance or interpret your prescription.
Recommend one drug over another.
Present ourselves as medical professionals.

For anything about your own prescriptions, talk to your pharmacist or doctor. See our full disclaimer.

How the site makes money

To keep the lights on, we may eventually run display ads or participate in affiliate programs (for example, discount-card referrals). If we do, we'll disclose it clearly, and it will never shape what our guides say. As of today, the site carries no advertising.