I saved on Rx and insulin

[okmunky]

I am currently without health insurance and have looked for ways to buy my prescriptions and Sena's insulin at the best prices. I am shocked by the variation in prices at different pharmacies.

Some drugs I order online from Canada, but my pain patches are not available online. I called about 10 places in Seattle. For a 90 day supply I was quoted from $1200 to $265. Most were inthe $900-$1,000 range. The low price is at Sam's with either a business or Advantage membership. My first refill I paid $932 at Walgreen's with their discount plan card. I picked up some at Sam's on Monday for $265, so that was not a mistake. Both are the same generic brand. How come Sam's can sell them at less than 1/3 the price?

I have been buying Sena's Humulin N insulin at Walmart or Sam's for $24.88/ vial for about 3 years. Costco quoted me $74 for it. Walgreen's was almost $50 three years ago.

Is this just greed or what?

[BigBill3111]

Originally Posted by okmunky

I am currently without health insurance and have looked for ways to buy my prescriptions and Sena's insulin at the best prices. I am shocked by the variation in prices at different pharmacies.

Some drugs I order online from Canada, but my pain patches are not available online. I called about 10 places in Seattle. For a 90 day supply I was quoted from $1200 to $265. Most were inthe $900-$1,000 range. The low price is at Sam's with either a business or Advantage membership. My first refill I paid $932 at Walgreen's with their discount plan card. I picked up some at Sam's on Monday for $265, so that was not a mistake. Both are the same generic brand. How come Sam's can sell them at less than 1/3 the price?

I have been buying Sena's Humulin N insulin at Walmart or Sam's for $24.88/ vial for about 3 years. Costco quoted me $74 for it. Walgreen's was almost $50 three years ago.

Is this just greed or what?

GREED........ Luckily my wife and I have insurance through her job, so most of our prescription co pays are $5.00 if they are generics. It would be pretty much the same at any store, but we use a Walgreens since it is close to our home. That being said, I got schooled on the Humulin N Insulin when I had to purchase it without insurance since it was for one of our cats of all things. Again, went to Walgreens since it was close to our home, and about fainted when they told me the price of the insulin and the syringes. Vet had given me a "prescription" and found out that you don't even need one for insulin. So I headed for Walmart and like you said it is $24 or so, and it lasts about two and a half months for the cat. I have some friends that have started full time RVing, and they go to Mexico and stock up on everything since their insurance is of almost no value on drugs. We want to full time RV, but finding it difficult to give up the good insurance as I have had some health issues.

[Mickey Mouse]

We were paying $80 on the same insulin (for our 4 leg child) at Walgreens. The last vial we got from Walmart at $24.88 after seeing a post on a diabetic pet forum. I would say greedy, it's whatever they can extract from our pockets!

[clyon51]

It's no diiferent than one store selling milk for 1.99@ gal and another 3.29@ gal. It's a business decision. They may lure you in for a cheap object (no profit) knowing you will buy other items with larger profits. This has been going on since the begining of retail sales.

It is very inconvienient (the retailers know this) to shop around to get to many different stores to get the best deal on every item you need. With gas prices what they are, this could lose any savings, even in an urban enviroment. We live in the sticks and the closest chain stores are 35 mi away. So many times we are at the mercy of the "greedy" local stores. Of course if they were too greedy or not greedy enough, they would go out of business (just like any big chain store) and we would make a 70 mi trip for a gal of milk.

All any of us can do, is do our homework as best we can and at least save what we can on big ticket items. Certainly because of sheer volume and overhead, Walmart/Sams/Costco are the best places to overall shop. However as DW can attest, they aren't the cheapest on every item in the store either.

[BigBill3111]

Originally Posted by clyon51

It's no diiferent than one store selling milk for 1.99@ gal and another 3.29@ gal. It's a business decision. They may lure you in for a cheap object (no profit) knowing you will buy other items with larger profits. This has been going on since the begining of retail sales.

It is very inconvienient (the retailers know this) to shop around to get to many different stores to get the best deal on every item you need. With gas prices what they are, this could lose any savings, even in an urban enviroment. We live in the sticks and the closest chain stores are 35 mi away. So many times we are at the mercy of the "greedy" local stores. Of course if they were too greedy or not greedy enough, they would go out of business (just like any big chain store) and we would make a 70 mi trip for a gal of milk.

All any of us can do, is do our homework as best we can and at least save what we can on big ticket items. Certainly because of sheer volume and overhead, Walmart/Sams/Costco are the best places to overall shop. However as DW can attest, they aren't the cheapest on every item in the store either.

Sorry, but I pretty much look at 50 cents to maybe a couple of dollars on non essential items such as candy bars to yes even milk, as a LOT different than the astronomical markup on drugs that HAVE to be purchased for your health or maybe even your life. Living in "the sticks" is your choice, but I don't like the choice of Americans having to drive, not "into town", but to Canada or Mexico to buy their life saving drugs, just so they will have enough money left to also be able to buy milk and bread.

[JimM68]

without getting too political i hope...
Those of you with the $5 co-pays, SOMEONE is paying the difference, just not you directly.
the whole medical/medical insurance/medicare/medicaid scam is amazingly arrogant and flagrantly corrupt.
It makes the military industrial complex of the 60's look like kids playing with tonka trucks.

[clyon51]

Originally Posted by BigBill3111

Sorry, but I pretty much look at 50 cents to maybe a couple of dollars on non essential items such as candy bars to yes even milk, as a LOT different than the astronomical markup on drugs that HAVE to be purchased for your health or maybe even your life. Living in "the sticks" is your choice, but I don't like the choice of Americans having to drive, not "into town", but to Canada or Mexico to buy their life saving drugs, just so they will have enough money left to also be able to buy milk and bread.

I totally agree, but I think you missed my point, which was a direct response to the OP.

Originally Posted by okmunky

I am shocked by the variation in prices at different pharmacies. I called about 10 places in Seattle.
For a 90 day supply I was quoted from $1200 to $265.
The low price is at Sam's with either a business or Advantage membership.

So, she shopped around and saved $700. Milk and drugs are apples to oranges, but the same business practices apply to both. Those in the good ol' USA just have to deal with free market capitalism. Of course those in socialistic countries don't seem to fare well either.

[Dunner]

Shortly after Walgreen's was named the most popular drug store in the US, they raised prices and I quit going there.

Several years ago, I compared Walgreen's prices to Walmart's.

ChapStick
Walmart $.99
Walgreen's $1.69

Saline solution
Walmart $2.95
Walgreen's $3.95

They claim it is because Walmart does more volume. With a Walgreen's on almost every corner, I find that hard to believe.

[smallpond3500]

I was getting plavix at Waldrean for $105 our copay for 90 days now get from Canada for$34

[clyon51]

Plavix went generic a few months ago. My co-pay went from $100+ to $6. You've been overpaying

[Wayne M]

My opinion is that it is greed.

Recently my wife had to go to the emergency room for COPD. Insurance paid for everything, but we received a bill for $28 and some pennies. I called and asked what it was for and it was for the reading of the xRay. I called my insurance provider and they said, we just paid that. I asked how much. In full, $10 and some pennies was the reply.

And that is how insurance pays those high prices.

Another incident while traveling we received a bill for $174. Insurance settled with the clinic for $64.

When it comes to the everyday consumer that does not have insurance, the get raked over the coals.

[wa8yxm]

Wife has one med she uses, 40 bucks via my mail order pharmacy which when I ask them why they charged me 40 bucks when Wallgreens only charges 25 they said "The co-pay is 40 dollars, (click) the co-pay is 40 dollars (click) the co-pay is 40 dollars (The click is the needle jumping tracks on the broken record) they remain unpaid.

Wallgreens 25 bucks

WalMart 4 bucks

Same med. Same exact med

[Old Coot]

With both of us retired and on Medicare, we have Humana, which here in Cabarrus County, NC, we pay $98/mo. ea. which is deducted from SS before we get it. Along with the Humana, which owns Right Source, we get my 4 heart/diabetes meds and my wife's 8 meds for the grand total of $0.00 for each 3 month supply.

[Triker56]

Originally Posted by Dunner

Several years ago, I compared Walgreen's prices to Walmart's.
ChapStick
Walmart $.99
Walgreen's $1.69
Saline solution
Walmart $2.95
Walgreen's $3.95

They claim it is because Walmart does more volume. With a Walgreen's on almost every corner, I find that hard to believe.

Walmart has 2,100,000 employees in 8,970 stores.
Walgreen's has 176,000 employees in 8,300 stores

Above Walmart's doesn't include the 602 Sam Clubs with RX sales.