GoodRx has released a new report revealing a significant gender divide in prescription medication spending, with women shouldering substantially higher out-of-pocket costs than men. According to “The Prescription Drug Gender Divide” report, women spent $8.8 billion – or 30% – more than men on out-of-pocket prescription costs in 2024.
The report, released by the medication savings platform, suggests that the “pink tax” extends beyond consumer goods into healthcare costs. Higher healthcare utilization, higher rates of chronic conditions, and spending on female-specific conditions like fertility and menopause all contribute to this disparity. The data indicates that women are filling more prescriptions than men, creating an additional financial burden alongside career management, family planning, and caregiving responsibilities.
“Though we typically think of the ‘pink tax’ as an upcharge on goods and services, these latest findings illustrate how the spending gap between men and women transcends grocery store shelves, with women paying a premium just to maintain their health,” says Tori Marsh, MPH, Director of Research at GoodRx. “This gender inequality leaves women with a greater financial burden, potentially requiring women to choose between their own health and other recurring expenses. This can lead to more serious health issues and create extra strain–not just on individuals–but on the healthcare system as a whole.”
The report highlights several key findings:
- Women spent almost $40 billion in total out-of-pocket prescription costs in 2024, a 30% higher amount than men – a trend that has remained consistent over recent years.
- Out-of-pocket spending on female-specific conditions exceeded $1.5 billion in 2024. Menopause treatments cost an average of $16.95 per prescription, while specialized treatments for conditions like endometriosis and morning sickness required even greater spending ($29.38 and $37.87 per prescription, respectively).
- The gender gap is most pronounced for women ages 18 to 44, who spend up to 64% more out-of-pocket on medications than men in the same age group. The gap narrows with age, with women 45 to 64 spending 35.3% more than men in 2024, and women over 65 spending 16.5% more.
- Women significantly outspend men on mental health treatments, spending 113% more out-of-pocket on depression medications and 103% more on anxiety treatments than men. These disparities likely stem from both higher prescription fill rates and systemic factors in how mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated between genders.
To address these disparities, GoodRx is offering savings on medications for female-specific conditions as well as other conditions that disproportionately affect women. These include discounts of up to 43% on fertility treatments, low cash prices for menopause hormone therapies by Pfizer ranging from $99-$249, and access to affordable birth control options, including the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill, Opill.
“Affordable healthcare doesn’t just support better health and quality of life for women, but has a positive ripple effect on our families, communities and healthcare system,” said Dorothy Gemmell, Chief Commercial Officer at GoodRx. “At GoodRx, we are working closely with healthcare’s key stakeholders–from pharmaceutical companies to retail pharmacies–to help women at all stages of life access lower prices on essential medications.”
GoodRx, which is used by nearly 30 million consumers and over one million healthcare professionals annually, reports having helped Americans save over $85 billion on medication costs since 2011.
