Update on my post re: mail order pharmacy

13 years ago

Hi Kids,

Several of you responded to my post re: Any good mail in pharmacy out there that are not connected to an insurance plan. Thank you all; that question is still out there for me but I just had an interesting experience at CVS I would like to share with all of you.

I had 4 prescriptions to be filled. I took the two I needed right away to CVS. One was for hydrochlorothiazide for my BP. Three months = 90 caps = $28.75. The second was for Fluticasone prop = Flonase nasal spray. For 90 days = 3 bottles they were going to charge me $299.00. I was surprised. I had a generic pharmacy discount card that a friend had given me a few months ago so I gave it to the clerk at check out who took it to the pharmacist who says 'sure, lets see what this card gets you'. He ran the card through and it came back giving me something like $75.00 off of the Flonase and a few off of the HCTZ. He said he had another CVS discount card that he said was a 'mailer'...what ever that means...and with it, I got my $299.00 Flonase for $116.65! I was over joyed, I saved $182.35 on one medication alone. Color me happy, I left there feeling like a very smart shopper.

Now, two days later, I am left wondering how this could happen. If I had not asked I never would have known that such discounts exist. I know how I feel about this but I would like to hear your reaction to my experience. This is not a trick question. Your thoughts?

Thanks, Kids.
sooey

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Comments (5)

marie_ndcal
13 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Yes it does pay to ask questions especially with so many changes in the insurance field. Glad you got your discounts.
Marie
kayjones
13 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Bargaining, and the habit of doing so, works many times for ME. I always ask if there are any specials going on for whatever I am buying. If I'm not happy with the posted price, I ask if I can get it for less - sometimes I can.
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ravencajun Zone 8b TX
13 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
My doctor is great about finding any kind of discount cards for specific medications. She put me on a new medication and said don't worry this one will not cost you a dime. I said how is that possible? She said I have a card for it. Sure enough she gave me a card with the prescription. I went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist said yes we can use it but it is for the name brand not generic so we have to order it come back tomorrow. Next day I returned and got my medicine totally free and this is for ever. They entered the card info into my CVS account on file so anytime I get it they put zero for cost. Man wish there were more of those kinds of drug companies.

She also gave both of us discount cards specific for our diabetes medication which guaranties we never have to pay over $10 as our copay. I unfortunately forgot about that card and got the prescription filled for 90 days which cost me $90, so when I went to CVS next I asked the pharmacist if there was any way I could go back and use that card and get some money back. He said he thought so to bring the card in. I have to do that tomorrow.

I always do all kinds of searches online and at the drug manufacturers website to see if they have any type of special offers on their drugs, surprisingly often they do and it is just a matter of asking for it.
Several drug companies have posted if you are having trouble paying for any of our medications please contact us so we can see if we can help you with it. ASK ! You never know and it sure doesn't hurt to ask.

I have never ever paid for a diabetes glucose meter I have always gotten them free simply by going to the website and contacting them and asking if they have a free offer, I also have gotten several times the free testing supplies as well. And the little diary books there is a form on the websites to fill out and they will send you 2 more each time for free. I just got 4, 2 for me 2 for my husband.
When he was diagnosed diabetic and needed his start up kit and meter etc, the doctor gave him a prescription for it all, we took it to CVS and asked if it would be free. She checked and said no it would be $75 for it. I said no way I can get it free. I just called the 800 number on the back of my meter, talked to one of the super nice people there and explained the situation and that we just could not afford to pay that and did they possibly still have the free special , she said absolutely we will ship one out to you tomorrow over night. It was at the door the next day! They are absolutely the nicest people I have ever had to deal with. I had a problem with my meter it kept giving an error code that was not in the book. After working with me a few times the lady said this is way more than you need to be dealing with I am sending you a new one over night just put the old one in the box and attach the label send it back to us free. I am currently using the Accu-check compact plus all in one meter. It uses little drums of test strips which come out automatically and never needs coding it is the easiest one I have ever used. I love not having to deal with those tiny strips.
bee0hio
13 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I a glad you were helped by asking & that it saved you significant $$$.
HOWEVER...
My feeling is that there are way too many "tricks, catches, ifs, ands, or buts".
What if you are in a hurry, or feeling quite ill, or just a harried situation? Then you're left kicking yourself because you " forgot" & it cost you $$$ for doing so. I think life is complicated enough that companies/retailers don't have to throw us more hoops to jump thru! And of course the rules in these kinds of games are forever changing. GAH!

**stepping off my curmudgeon box**
jannie
13 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I remember, years ago, doctors would give you boxes of free "sample" pills they got from the drug manufactures. Now they don't get as many pills,but they do get "coupons" they give patients. One of my pre-kidney transplant medications was for my over-active parathyroids, the co-pay with my insurance was $90 for a 30 day supply. I complained to my doctor the co-pay was too high, she handed me a card for the med and the cost went down to just $5. Was I happy! Seems like it's just a game the drug and insurance companies play. They want doctors to prescribe their particular pills, so they can get money from both the insurance company and the patient. Once you are taking a certain drug, you are afraid to stop or change to another drug because you feel it may not work as well. Then there are generics. In my plan. all generics cost the consumer $5 or less. I actually have triple insurance, Medicare, Blue Cross, and insurance through my husband, who was employed by NY State. Between the 3, my own outlay for medical care and treatment is minimal. I'm a lucky gal!

Update on my post re: mail order pharmacy

Comments (5)

marie_ndcal

kayjones

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

bee0hio

jannie

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