Drug Prices

[Berzerker]

I'm outraged! I need a prescription PPI (acid reducer) so I'm pricing the drug my doc wants to prescribe and the prices are all over the map. After calling a half dozen stores I found one thats actually cheaper than the Kroger OTC brand (Prilosec) I've been buying. Time will tell if the prescription's better than the OTC I've been getting, but here's the price range I was quoted:

Walgreens wants $100 for a 30 day supply, HyVee was a couple bucks less (yippee), Walmart wants $70 and CVS wants $63. Jayhawk sells it much cheaper at $28 and the one I'm going to buy from wanted less than half that. Wtf? I knew Walgreens was expensive but thats...thats...OUTRAGEOUS!

Maybe not so surprising the pharmacy I'm gonna buy from is where I got meds for my dog a few years back after price shopping.

 

[rah]

I hope you're not getting it from an on-line scam site.

 

[Berzerker]

I hope not, I dont know where the pharmacy I'm going to gets it but its where my general GP is located so I figure they're legit

 

[Synobun]

Walgreens wants $100 for a 30 day supply, HyVee was a couple bucks less (yippee), Walmart wants $70 and CVS wants $63. Jayhawk sells it much cheaper at $28 and the one I'm going to buy from wanted less than half that. Wtf? I knew Walgreens was expensive but thats...thats...OUTRAGEOUS!

What else does @onejayhawk sell?

 

[Narz]

Try dark web maybe?

 

[Hygro]

Weed used to be $40 an eighth but now it’s commonly $20. Some top shelf indoor at overpriced clubs after tax can land you four times that, but you can now go a lot cheaper as well.

 

[aelf]

How is Billary responsible for this?

 

[Berzerker]

Bill raped Juanita Broderick and Hillary defended him instead of getting comprehensive health care reform passed

 

[rah]

In all fairness, God couldn't have gotten comprehensive health care reform passed through that Congress.
But I'll go with the first half of that one.

 

[Berzerker]

I asked my pharmacy why they can sell the drug so cheaply and wasn't encouraged by the explanation. Something about different suppliers yada yada... But maybe the small pharmacies having less overhead has something to do with it. Looks to me like Walgreens just gouges people.

 

[rah]

It always pays to shop around. But a lot of people with insurance with low co-pays don't really care so they won't.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Walgreens is big time crap. Major overpriced everything. Most of their profit is from their pharmacy so they charge a lot. Go to a place that doesn't rely on their pharmacy, like Walmart or Target or whatever. Usually will get better prices.

 

[Berzerker]

I seriously didn't think there could be that much of a difference, but I got the impression the smaller outfits were charging less and the big chains more

lesson learned... I'm getting old enough now I'll be needing meds

 

[Quintillus]

There really is a big difference in prices by location. One of my friends has driven to the next big city over, 60-75 minutes away each way, for prescription drugs after calling around. It saved enough to be worth the drive.

And GoodEnoughForMe is right about the pharmacy vs big-retail sales. The former, that's their main product and source of margins; the other, it's to get you in the door so you do your other shopping there. Thus, pharmacies (usually) charge more. Of course, they'll also have loss-leaders on some common drugs, to get people in the door with the hopes that they'll then buy everything (including high-margin items) there.

Different suppliers can make a difference, especially if it's a generic. In particular, an increasing number of generics are made inexpensively by manufacturers in India. I've been taking over-the-counter allergy medicine that's made in India, and it's been about 8 cents a pill, but just as effective as the 30-cents-a-pill "regular" generics, or the 60-cents-a-pill name brands.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Bill raped Juanita Broderick and Hillary defended him instead of getting comprehensive health care reform passed

Whats wrong with the Republican plan of a Saturday Night special and a single bullet ?
I feel kinda bad for the US, the cost of healthcare and drug prices are bonkers

 

[Bootstoots]

1. Shop around for generics. Failing that:
2. Look for things that are cheap and similar, and get a doctor to prescribe you those or just take them, if OTC. Failing that:
3. Find a legit online pharmacy, domestic or first-world foreign. Failing that:
4. Dark web/gray market. If it's not a controlled substance, you're probably not violating federal law, at least. Or not badly enough that anyone will charge you with anything.

 

[Berzerker]

It always pays to shop around. But a lot of people with insurance with low co-pays don't really care so they won't.

there's one reason our health care costs are so high, 3rd party payment systems tend to promote gouging

 

[Silurian]

In the UK prescriptions cost £104 per year but obviously many people are exempt.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/nhs-prescription-charges-from-1-april-2018

 

[MaryKB]

I'm really so very sorry @Berzerker you're going through this, how on top of your medical condition you're also having to deal with stress for getting and paying for your medication.

I guess I'm really lucky, my prescription I have to take is free at Meijer.

 

[rah]

there's one reason our health care costs are so high, 3rd party payment systems tend to promote gouging

Yeah, if I was actually paying full price for mine, I'd be screaming from the rooftops.
But about 1/2 through the year, I hit my max co-payment and stop paying anything so you just kind of ignore it.