topic Re: Prescriptions - compare prices! in Community Chat

Prescriptions - compare prices!

hoosieroriginal — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:52:58 GMT

CVS is charging $20 for prozac for my dog. I called around and found it for $3.99! I can't imagine how much someone can save if they just do their homework. I'm a VERY frugal person and try to go out of my way to check prices before I buy. Also, check out GoodRX for discounts! I know there are a lot of people out there on several medications and I hope this saves them some money. Also check out your big box stores - I hear they have great prices on prescriptions!

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

tends2dogs — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:02:30 GMT

@hoosieroriginal This is SO true. When my Quincy was alive, he had to take Cipro when his counts were down as a preventive. The ONCOLOGIST wrote a script and told me to go to Publix, because it would be FREE. I had to go to Walmart first and I happened to ask the pharmacy there. They said it wouldn't be free with them and to go to Publix. I called around for a couple of other RXs and found a big difference in $$. Take the time to call around. We could be talking more than a $1 or two.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

GCR18 — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:31:16 GMT

My cats prescription was a lot cheaper at walgreens versus Cvs. I was going to check Costco, but unfortunately he passed. Pet prescriptions vary greatly.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:46:55 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
CVS is charging $20 for prozac for my dog. I called around and found it for $3.99! I can't imagine how much someone can save if they just do their homework. I'm a VERY frugal person and try to go out of my way to check prices before I buy. Also, check out GoodRX for discounts! I know there are a lot of people out there on several medications and I hope this saves them some money. Also check out your big box stores - I hear they have great prices on prescriptions!

When looking for medications for pets also ask about dosage differences. I also have a dog on prozac, she takes 40 mg a day. It was significantly cheaper to give her 2 - 20 mg capsules compared to 1 - 40 mg. ($8.00 compared to $80.00 a month). Her last refill I got right from the vets office, $2.50 a month. A dog metabolism is faster so they often need higher dosages.

You do need to shop around. My mom recently went to get a prescription refilled. CVS was $218.00 for 3 months and Walmart $185.00. Called Costco $31.00.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

hoosieroriginal — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:59:28 GMT

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@hoosieroriginal wrote:
CVS is charging $20 for prozac for my dog. I called around and found it for $3.99! I can't imagine how much someone can save if they just do their homework. I'm a VERY frugal person and try to go out of my way to check prices before I buy. Also, check out GoodRX for discounts! I know there are a lot of people out there on several medications and I hope this saves them some money. Also check out your big box stores - I hear they have great prices on prescriptions!
When looking for medications for pets also ask about dosage differences. I also have a dog on prozac, she takes 40 mg a day. It was significantly cheaper to give her 2 - 20 mg capsules compared to 1 - 40 mg. ($8.00 compared to $80.00 a month). Her last refill I got right from the vets office, $2.50 a month. A dog metabolism is faster so they often need higher dosages.

You do need to shop around. My mom recently went to get a prescription refilled. CVS was $218.00 for 3 months and Walmart $185.00. Called Costco $31.00.

@CrazyDaisy - yes, I definitely meant this for people prescriptions too. Children should call around for their parents - they could save them hundreds of dollars a month depending on how many prescriptions they take. And don't forget GoodRX - my pharmacy found discounts for me when I had meds for a kidney stone - she saved me close to $100.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:06:14 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
CVS is charging $20 for prozac for my dog. I called around and found it for $3.99! I can't imagine how much someone can save if they just do their homework. I'm a VERY frugal person and try to go out of my way to check prices before I buy. Also, check out GoodRX for discounts! I know there are a lot of people out there on several medications and I hope this saves them some money. Also check out your big box stores - I hear they have great prices on prescriptions!

@hoosieroriginal

Years ago I read that Walmart is the largest worldwide retailer and has great bargaining power when it comes to prescriptions! Makes sense to me. So, I now fill my prescriptions at Walmart and the times I've compared, the prices are the best.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

skuggles — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:23:50 GMT

I rarely shop CVS anymore because I have found that they mark up almost everything 2-3 dollars compared to everyone else on and off line. Then they lure you in with 25% off coupons, and/or extrabucks. The extrabucks usually are not issued so that they could be combined with a sale price. They expire or they don't coincide, and I think that's by design. This practice makes your savings never more than what it can be found for anywhere else most often, so I am not surprised to hear this about their prescriptions.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

hoosieroriginal — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:38:57 GMT

@skuggles wrote:
I rarely shop CVS anymore because I have found that they mark up almost everything 2-3 dollars compared to everyone else on and off line. Then they lure you in with 25% off coupons, and/or extrabucks. The extrabucks usually are not issued so that they could be combined with a sale price. They expire or they don't coincide, and I think that's by design. This practice makes your savings never more than what it can be found for anywhere else most often, so I am not surprised to hear this about their prescriptions.

@skuggles - I too despise CVS, but they did find discounts for me when I needed it. I got my $3.99 prozac for my dog at my grocery store pharmacy!

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

ChynnaBlue — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:41:28 GMT

Some of the insurance companies make it hard for people to do this, unfortunately. My prescription insurance comes from Caremark/CVS. That means my insurance only pays if I get my meds from Caremark by mail order or CVS in person. Not a big deal of my meds are generic, but for the expensive ones, I'm looking at hundreds of dollars without insurance, so saving $20 but covering the entire amount out of pocket instead of the co-pay will cost me far more than the $20 I would save

Before that I was with another company that would only pay if I went to certain pharmacies and others were not covered, so I faced the same thing. The drug may be $20 cheaper, but I would have to pay the entire amount vs the much smaller co-pay. I was, at least, able to call the various pharmacies they DID work with and find the cheaper one out of the bunch, so that was something. With the Caremark/CVS insurance, my only options are full-price or co-pay and the co-pay is always less or the generic cost difference is so small it doesn't justify driving the extra 2 miles out of my way for the 33 cents I'd save.

And knowing that the same drug I buy here is a third of the price in Canada makes me really mad. Drug companies are the worst.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Q4u — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:46:10 GMT

We have/had CVS mail order. DH has changed to another provider because of a $100 difference in one of the skin meds he gets! $100 more CVS is charging than even Wal Greens! I'm still with CVS but will change soon, my meds are very, very cheap even with them.... but I think CVS overcharges generally....

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Q4u — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:50:44 GMT

DH has one cream (he has Psorisis) that the insurance companies won't even cover (we've had several insurance companies since we left Kaiser). It's absolutely necessary to keep the problem at bay. He buys it once a year ($1800!) and it was recommended to him through Kaiser when we had it years ago... Kaiser charged him around $50 for it! Unbelievable, isn't it?

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Annabellethecat66 — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:06:05 GMT

I have to shop at CVS because I take a medication (generic) and where they buy their medicine from my body is used to it.

I've gone other places and almost ended up in the hospital. My Dr had to re-write the prescription and I had to turn in the unused pills. Then I had to go back to the CVS.

Generic is not all the same. It doesn't have to be the same. What works for one person might not for another. I agree people should shop around.

I have to keep my same insurance for medicine because no other insurance company covers this medication.

I've always known CVS is one of the most expensive. I think CVS is mainly located on the East coast because my daughter lives in Colorado and she said there isn't a CVS there.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

cherry — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:33:52 GMT

I will never deal with express scripts again. I stopped taking my statins because I had bad muscle problems with them

Their pharmacists called me a few weeks later, and gave me a huge lecture. because I did this. My dr knew and was Ok with it. I told him this. They guy was rude, I should have hung up on him. It was none of his business

I go to Walgreens and am satisified

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

DiAnne — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:39:20 GMT

I switched to Costco several years ago. Their prices are amazing. They also have pet prescriptions. My dog is taking a pill and my vet only charges $4 more than Costco.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

KingstonsMom — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:40:24 GMT

@tends2dogs wrote:
@hoosieroriginal This is SO true. When my Quincy was alive, he had to take Cipro when his counts were down as a preventive. The ONCOLOGIST wrote a script and told me to go to Publix, because it would be FREE. I had to go to Walmart first and I happened to ask the pharmacy there. They said it wouldn't be free with them and to go to Publix. I called around for a couple of other RXs and found a big difference in $$. Take the time to call around. We could be talking more than a $1 or two.

@tends2dogs

Just an FYI, many antibiotics and other drugs are free at Publix:

Publix Pharmacy Enhances Free Medication Programs

LAKELAND, Fla., Dec. 1, 2015 — Beginning today, Publix Pharmacies will offer free 90-day supply of metformin, Lisinopril and amlodipine, all currently part of Publix’s free medication programs, to customers with a prescription for the medications. Previously, 30-day supplies of the medications were offered with a prescription. The program enhancement is being made to assist our customers’ medication adherence.

The free medications offered, treatment and dosages include:

Lisinopril — an ACE inhibitor used to prevent, treat or improve symptoms of high blood pressure, certain heart conditions, diabetes and certain chronic kidney conditions. Maximum of 90-day supply (up to 180 tablets). Lisinopril-HCTZ combination products excluded.
Metformin — a medication used to treat diabetes. Maximum of 90-day supply of generic immediate-release metformin (up to 360 500-mg tablets, 270 850-mg or 225 1000-mg).
Amlodipine — a calcium-channel blocker commonly used to treat high blood pressure and angina (chest pain). Maximum of 90-day supply (up to 180 2.5-mg or 5-mg tablets, or 90 10-mg tablets). Amlodipine combination products are excluded.

Publix Pharmacy also offers a 14-day supply of the following generic oral antibiotics free:

amoxicillin
ampicillin
ciprofloxacin (excluding Ciprofloxacin XR)
penicillin VK and
sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)

For more information, please visit www.publix.com/pharmacy.

“The Publix Pharmacy continues to enhance our free medications programs to best serve the needs of our customers,” said Media and Community Relations Director Maria Brous. “With health care and prescription costs continuing to rise, medication adherence may prove challenging. The enhancement to our free prescription programs and pharmacy services allows our customers to focus on staying healthy and achieving their overall wellness goals.”

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

tends2dogs — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:42:56 GMT

Thanks @KingstonsMom! Good to know!

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

hennypenny — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 18:54:01 GMT

@Q4u mr henny has the same thing. His meds were a fortune.

I don't know what part of the country you are in, but we are on the West Coast and have a friend who goes to Mexico every few months. He has taken mr henny's perscription to the pharmacy there. He gets the exact same med, from the same Irish factory for fifty dollars a 30 gram tube. In mexico the med is called Daivodet instead of Dovenex or taclonex (with steroids) If you have anyone that can do this for you it is a huge lifesaver. mr henny doesn't want to take the scary meds.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Carmie — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:14:05 GMT

My dog takes Gabapentin and I used to get it at Target Pharmacy because it is closest to me. My DH and I do not take any RX drugs so we don't have a locality to any place.

CVS bought our Target and when I went to get my prescription it went from $11.56 to a little over $90. They also would not give me a price match as Target used to do

I now get Gabapentin for less than $10 at COSTCO.

CVS has a ton of insurance contracts and probably make up for their lower contracted prices by gouging everyone else.

My dog has insurance and I have to pay upfront and send the receipts in for a 90% reimbursement. I still try to find a good price to try to keep pet insurance from raising too much.

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Q4u — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:35:06 GMT

@hennypenny wrote:
@Q4u mr henny has the same thing. His meds were a fortune.
I don't know what part of the country you are in, but we are on the West Coast and have a friend who goes to Mexico every few months. He has taken mr henny's perscription to the pharmacy there. He gets the exact same med, from the same Irish factory for fifty dollars a 30 gram tube. In mexico the med is called Daivodet instead of Dovenex or taclonex (with steroids) If you have anyone that can do this for you it is a huge lifesaver. mr henny doesn't want to take the scary meds.

We used to live in San Diego and YES.... going over the border to the pharmacies there are a huge savings. My Dad spoke Spanish and we all used to go over for the day (Tijuana) but times have changed and so has this border town..... However.... getting the meds from a Canadian pharmacy on-line will save a lot of money and is relatively simple. Our doctor even recommended it~!

Re: Prescriptions - compare prices!

Q4u — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:39:34 GMT

@cherry wrote:
I will never deal with express scripts again. I stopped taking my statins because I had bad muscle problems with them

Their pharmacists called me a few weeks later, and gave me a huge lecture. because I did this. My dr knew and was Ok with it. I told him this. They guy was rude, I should have hung up on him. It was none of his business

I go to Walgreens and am satisified

That's an unbelievable intrusion~! Not only did I have a bad muscle reaction I had electric pains running down my legs. I took them for 18 months and had a reduction in muscle strength (couldn't go up a flight of stairs without stopping and couldn't open a bottle of water).... I stopped taking them and my strength returned over a course of time but I'd say I only regained about 90% of the strength I had prior to taking statins!