The deal is over. :) They sold a ton of them, though!

This first time poster is a 30 year veteran pharmacist, not just some boob trolling the internet with misinformation. These cards are ***ALL*** scams, as a fact. Not a theory. They collect your information, including your health information, AS A FACT, not a theory, and sell it, AS A FACT. They offer ZERO discount which is why most private pharmacies won't accept them. If you haave trouble with PRICING, your best bet is to talk to the pharmacist. If they can do something for you, they probably will, and most, if not ALL pharmacies will match cash prices. The Chain drug stores accept many of these cards in the hopes of driving traffic. The fact that CVS also owns the PBM helps them. Aside from that, these cards, if not in healthcare, would be flatout illegal because they represent fraud. So how do the perforate in healthcare? Because the heathcare system is essentially corrupt from top to bottom. In this case, the card fraudsters petitions CMS to make provision in the Obamacare act that required that hospitals and healthcare organizations to actively pursue means of reducing costs to prescriptions to indigent cash paying patient (forgetting that there should be no cash patients anymore under Obamacare). To fill this check box for Medicare Compliance, these cards are put in the front windows of all these healthcare organization, promoting the fraud. These cards do NOTHING to promote a discount. They reimburse pharmacies NOTHING. They charge the pharmacies to privilege to process the card, which is how they make there money. These are the low life money grubbers in the healthcare economy who rip off the system at everyones expense, and provide ZERO economic benefit and ZERO healthcare value. They just steal... PERIOD.

No, these are bought by the companies in bulk, so they get a discount. It is like taking a coupon in, but it is a giftcard instead.

Personally, I prefer cash. But some feel that's "impersonal". Gift cards are the modern version of the gift certificate or the trendy "check" (or "cheque" to my Canuck-lehead friends) being given as a gift. My gift shopping used to always include a stop at the liquor store for at least one person on the list. I knew that wasn't going to go to waste. A friend used to always give his grandmother a small ham for Christmas because she'd never buy it for herself. Some would be appalled, nay, even insulted if someone gave them grocery stoe food! It needs to be in little jars, in a box, flavors nobody likes, won't eat, and will be given away or thrown away! LOL I'm really bothered when someone says cash is a bad gift, impersonal or whatever. Doesn't anyone get tired of getting trinkets that someone else thinks is cute and you find abhorrent? But somehow that's a better gift than giving someone cash so they can put it toward their electric bill on a month they're a little short, or go to a movie, or put gas in the car to get to work, or put toward the heat bill or into a (heaven forbid) savings account or get the car repaired house reroofed or whatever else. What troubles me is there used to be a saying that it's the thought that counts. I buy someone a gift, it's thoughtful, right? They hate it so they return it or leave it on a shelf or whatever. But that's more thoughtful or personal than cash? I don't think so. If someone is considerate enough to give me cash and trust that I'll make a good decision on what to do with it, that, to me, is thoughtful. Our western society is so hung up on materialism. It's the gift not the thought. We have to spend more on that wedding gift than the Jones' spent or we'll look bad. Doesn't matter what the gift is. I could go on and on but won't. Consider that your Christmas present! :D This time of year often brings out the best, but also the worst in people. Lots of generosity at times, but also greed, selfishness, self-centered thoughts and after all, Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts right? There was a religious event that some people used to get into! :D I'll give you an example of why I don't like gift cards in place of cash. I had my oil changed last summer for about $17. I used a coupon and had it done. Hard for me to do that stuff anymore. :( I got an award from work - a $25 gift card of my choice. I don't shop at Macy's. I don't go on cruises. (I would have appreciated a gift card for the cruise though...) I don't have Staples in the state, much less nearby. There were 2 things I could see myself using. An oil change place or Amazon. I was going to go with Amazon but decided I'd need an oil change before leaving town for a trip so that could be OK. It'd pay for most of the oil change right? Not after it being a $65 oil change! LOL I got another card choice, same thing. I took a restaurant card but now wish I'd gone Amazon. Not sure when I'll get to the restaurant, but not totally sure what I want from Amazon either. Had a voicemail that I have another gift card coming from work. (I must really have them fooled, eh?) If they had options for Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, gasoline stations, or a prepaid credit card would be preferred. Keep in mind that the designation is important. They bank on people losing them or not using them. Extra profit, not unlike the post office selling stamps that don't get used. That's pure profit. And companies often get a discount so it appears to be more. But it could be worse. I remember when giving a turkey was often a Christmas bonus. Not everyone can use a 15# turkey. Some, a 15# isn't enough anyway. LOL How many people can't use cash?