Compare pharmacy prices

My wife and I are in our late 70s and have significant pharmacy costs. Medicare helps us some, although it’s structured to give millions to the drug companies and punishes those with high drug costs who reach the “doughnut hole.”

Since we both have used at least $2,400 worth of medications, we’ve reached the point where we must now pay 100 percent of the next $2,900. Therefore, I surveyed five pharmacies to determine where we could get our next 90-day supply for the lowest cost. The differences in prices were amazing.

I surveyed two grocery pharmacies, where our medications would cost $2,668 and $2,087. A chain drugstore would charge $2,353; a mail-order pharmacy $1,773; a warehouse discount store pharmacy $1,568.

We found savings of $185, $138 and $130 on three different drugs.

By buying the cheapest drugs available, we can buy our 90-day supply for $1,362, a savings of $1,306 over the cost at the grocery pharmacy and $991 less than at the drugstore chain.

Perhaps others with significant drug costs should shop around.

R. Vance Hall
Overland Park

Comments

[jack]

Also talk to your pharmicist. Because I am a "non-insured" customer, my pharmacy gave me a rather substantial discount.