Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I take the same strength of Lisinopril
It is a very low cost drug
You should just call around and check various pharmacies
If you are buying over the counter vs w/insurance maybe your doctor will give RX that allows you to get a 6 mo count vs a 90 day which is what most insurance plans want and that might cuts some off the price
There was time I had problem w/my RX insurance coverage and was out of state-
I paid less w/o insurance than with a co-pay
And I have read recent article that is the case with some drugs and RX coverage plans
Pharmacists are also prohibited by state law or maybe Federal from telling customers they can buy the drug cheaper w/o insurance since the co-pay is what raises the price
Laws like that are the work of the drug lobby in coordination w/politicians to keep their profits up...
There are no laws that prohibit pharmacies from telling people that the drug may be cheaper without insurance, though store policy might be not to do so.
There is certainly nothing that prevents you from asking whether it is cheaper - with any medication.
The insurance plans I have dealt with usually want you to get a 90 day supply.
There are no laws that prohibit pharmacies from telling people that the drug may be cheaper without insurance, though store policy might be not to do so.
There is certainly nothing that prevents you from asking whether it is cheaper - with any medication.
The insurance plans I have dealt with usually want you to get a 90 day supply.
it's some of the PBMs that prohibit price disclosure. some states are actually working on laws to stop this.
There are no laws that prohibit pharmacies from telling people that the drug may be cheaper without insurance, though store policy might be not to do so.
There is certainly nothing that prevents you from asking whether it is cheaper - with any medication.
The insurance plans I have dealt with usually want you to get a 90 day supply.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/24/u...g-clauses.html
That article and others on line point out that it is drug companies that put clauses in their contracts w/pharmacies to "gag" the pharmacy from volunteering price information
Thanks for catching my mistake
And you are correct
People can ask but most are conditioned to thinking their insurance price is likely better than w/o
As as that article points out some states are initiating laws that prohibit the "gagging" of pharmacists volunteering price info
A Costco pharmacist once pointed out to me that it would be cheaper for me to pay for a prescription out of pocket than pay my insurance plan's co-pay.
Another time a different Costco pharmacist told me that the prescription I had was for a drug that was available OTC as a generic for a lot less money. That was for Prilosec. I started looking at my doctor in a whole new light - she must have known that.
A Costco pharmacist once pointed out to me that it would be cheaper for me to pay for a prescription out of pocket than pay my insurance plan's co-pay.
Another time a different Costco pharmacist told me that the prescription I had was for a drug that was available OTC as a generic for a lot less money. That was for Prilosec. I started looking at my doctor in a whole new light - she must have known that.
Yes, I'm a devoted fan of Costco pharmacies.
I've been told that by Walgreen's pharmacists, too.
However, re: the OTC vs rx, sometimes your insurance doesn't pay for OTC so it's better to get an rx and get it paid for eventually. It's all a silly game, really, with insurance.
Through the pharmacy benefit of my medical insurance, a drug/prescription price, for the identical medication in the identical quantity, in the identical dosage, can widely vary across retail pharmacies. Case in point - one of my prescriptions is less than half the cost at the local grocery store pharmacy than it is at the closest CVS, and these are located less than one mile from each other. Why aren’t drug prices uniform across all pharmacies? I just don’t get it.
I've been told that by Walgreen's pharmacists, too.
However, re: the OTC vs rx, sometimes your insurance doesn't pay for OTC so it's better to get an rx and get it paid for eventually. It's all a silly game, really, with insurance.
If the out-of-pocket cost is less than the co-pay, why on earth would I use the insurance?????
Through the pharmacy benefit of my medical insurance, a drug/prescription price, for the identical medication in the identical quantity, in the identical dosage, can widely vary across retail pharmacies. Case in point - one of my prescriptions is less than half the cost at the local grocery store pharmacy than it is at the closest CVS, and these are located less than one mile from each other. Why aren’t drug prices uniform across all pharmacies? I just don’t get it.
It probably depends on the wholesale distributor the pharmacy uses.
If they all priced everything the same then the price might be higher.
If the out-of-pocket cost is less than the co-pay, why on earth would I use the insurance?????
If you're taking a lot of meds, you'll reach your deductible and get everything for "free". Maybe. You have to be careful when trying to game the system.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
