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prescription drugs at costco

S

ShawnD1

Lifer
I refilled a prescription yesterday, and it was seriously about 1/2 the cost of any other pharmacy I have ever been to. Normally my medication is about $90 for 90, then I pay 20% of that = $0.20 per pill. At Costco I got 100 pills for $13 which works out to $0.13 each. How is it so much cheaper? It's the same drug, same brand, same pills, same everything. I thought drug companies had some kind of fixed pricing scheme because every other pharmacy seems to charge the same amount.
 
They operate pharmacy the same way they operate the rest of Costco - razor thin margins and bulk contract deals. But then again, you probably don't want to know how much profit standard pharmacies make on generic drugs (Forget brands, they make almost nothing on the majority of brand drugs).
 
ShawnD1 said:
It's the same drug, same brand, same pills, same everything. I thought drug companies had some kind of fixed pricing scheme because every other pharmacy seems to charge the same amount.
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no, they don't. drug markup at drugstores can be huge. there's a reason they'll give you $100 worth of crap just to transfer a prescription. and there's very little comparison shopping done.
 
Is that a 90-day prescription? A number of pharmacies have a list of drugs they'll sell at discount for 90-day supplies. Walgreens does the same thing. $13 for a 90-day script of <insert generic drug name here>.
 
Target also has a list of meds available for $4. I shop around.

When I was on my previous insurance carrier (Aetna), one of my meds was $10 per month. Seemed reasonable at the time. When I quit my job, I had to look into other arrangements. Costco charged me $7 for three months. WITHOUT insurance. Another scrip was similar, but instead of $10/month, it's now $9 for six months. I wasted SO much money at Walgreen's thinking my insurance plan was getting me the best deal.
 
ShawnD1 said:
I refilled a prescription yesterday, and it was seriously about 1/2 the cost of any other pharmacy I have ever been to. Normally my medication is about $90 for 90, then I pay 20% of that = $0.20 per pill. At Costco I got 100 pills for $13 which works out to $0.13 each. How is it so much cheaper? It's the same drug, same brand, same pills, same everything. I thought drug companies had some kind of fixed pricing scheme because every other pharmacy seems to charge the same amount.
Click to expand...

The major pharmacies are raping you.


/thread
 
XabanakFanatik said:
They operate pharmacy the same way they operate the rest of Costco - razor thin margins and bulk contract deals. But then again, you probably don't want to know how much profit standard pharmacies make on generic drugs (Forget brands, they make almost nothing on the majority of brand drugs).
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Costco pharmacy is a loss leader and always has been.
 
shortylickens said:
The major pharmacies are raping you.


/thread
Click to expand...

This.

Couple years ago, my roommate and I got the same cold, went to the same doctor, got the same prescriptions. They stopped at Walgreens on the way home from work and paid $45 for their drugs, I went to Costco because I wanted pizza from the cafeteria, and paid $9.

We only go to Costco now.
 
dave_the_nerd said:
Couple years ago, my roommate and I got the same cold, went to the same doctor, got the same prescriptions. They stopped at Walgreens on the way home from work and paid $45 for their drugs, I went to Costco because I wanted pizza from the cafeteria, and paid $9.
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Same insurance?
 
I get my blood pressure meds at Costco. I pay less than $6 for 100 pills. The "regular pharmacy" charges about $30 for a 30 day supply of the same meds.
 
BoomerD said:
I get my blood pressure meds at Costco. I pay less than $6 for 100 pills. The "regular pharmacy" charges about $30 for a 30 day supply of the same meds.
Click to expand...
Holy god damn!

Does anyone know how Walmart compares? I've never tried getting prescription drugs at Walmart.
 
I think when my wife quits Costco after 10+ years this year when she gets her RN license, we will probably maintain a membership.
 
ShawnD1 said:
I've never tried getting prescription drugs at Walmart.
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Our local Wal Mart requires anyone receiving a prescription to "consult" with the pharmacist; this may or may not be true of all Wal Marts. My wife and I were there one night after work and she went up to get her prescription and the lady refused to give it to her until she had "consulted" with the pharmacist. The problem was that there was already a huge line of old people in front of us and it would've taken probably 45 minutes+ before it was her turn. She told Wal Mart to keep their medicine and we went to CVS and got it filled instead.
 
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NikolaeVarius said:
Except for certain proprietary delivery mechanisms, they are equal. There is ONE chemical formula for medications and either style will deliver that drug.
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Generics don't include extended release or modified versions. Depends on the dose of meds you need and how you need to take it.
 
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