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07-15-2007, 07:38 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Hey man.. let's talk about drugs...
We have Blue Cross, Sue just went to Wal*Mart and got a prescription filled, (we generally go to CVS=(Old Osco here in Kansas City Mo.)
She got Advair (Inhaled pulverized pill dealie) for Asthma.
CVS price was $30.00 for 100/50, the new improved Wal*Mart price was $107.00 for 250/50...Huh? She compared CVS' 500/50, they were only $60.00.
Singulair 10Mg. Tab. at CVS was $30.00, Wal*Mart was $68.31.
She just got off the phone with Wally World's Pharmacist, they told Sue that Blue Cross had a contract with special pricing at CVS.
Where do you get good medicine pricing? (Besides Mexico and Canada)
So, shoppers, compare........
Ozz
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07-15-2007, 07:47 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Napanee
Posts: 3,440
M.O.C. #1493
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Hey Ozz: Sometime(when it comes to presc. drugs anyway) it pays to be a Canadian. When you turn 65 presc. drugs are free. It is the only time I am glad I am "old".
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07-15-2007, 08:22 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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You're killing me. Free is good.....
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07-15-2007, 08:26 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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07-15-2007, 09:14 AM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: WARE
Posts: 393
M.O.C. #3928
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Lots of people think walmart is the cheapest...
if you compare they are not always, this goes for the whole store.
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07-15-2007, 09:20 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 608
M.O.C. #6162
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I researched the heck out of drug costs when we got into the Humana prescription program. The result was that Sam's club was the cheapest (even cheaper than WM).
We don't have a Costco here in Grand Junction but you can bet I will check their prices if & when we get one. I do belong to Costco because we lived in the Denver/Boulder area before moving here and we have our home owners & car insurance through Costco/American Express. Tons cheaper than anywhere else.
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07-15-2007, 09:51 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Jim, don't you have a set co-pay dollar amount, or perhaps two or three depending on the situation, in your Rx contract?
BCBS contracts with several pharmacies and pays a smaller amount than the pharmacy lists as its full list price. It doesn't matter which participating pharmacy you go to, BCBS pays the same and you should pay the same, too, unless your contract differs from the normal. Now, if you go to a non-participating pharmacy, that's a whole different ballgame.
Some pharmacies, like hospitals and doctors, used to try to game the system by quoting high prices they would have otherwise got. By gaming I mean the algorithms to determine how much BCBS would pay next year were based on the actual prices and the providers (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc) figured that out. Those algorithms are no longer in use but I think there are some writeoffs involved as well. That's about the extent of what I know about it.
But your post is good information, anyhow, especially for those who do not have insurance or whose companies pay the actual charge.
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07-15-2007, 10:17 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Grand Blanc
Posts: 2,508
M.O.C. #5965
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Jim, you have us concerned. We have BC/BS and Sam's Club is our pharmacy. When we can not find a Sam's Club close when on the road we go to a Wal-Mart. We have never paid more than our normal co-pay for our prescriptions at either Sam's or Wal-Mart. We will be interested in the experiences of others in this matter. Steve's question about your having a co-pay portion of your contract is a good one. If you do and this still happened, we will immediately start looking again.
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07-15-2007, 11:48 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Driftwood
Posts: 1,376
M.O.C. #5446
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We don't have drug coverage on our Blue Cross Blue Shield. We should have ditched our policy years ago before we got older. We have had the same policy for about 20 years, so long we can't raise our deductible any higher than $2500.
We do belong to Sam's as a PLUS member. It cost you $100 a year instead of $45.00. By being a Plus member you get your presciptions cheaper than the normal rate. We have several prescriptions that have dropped in price in the last 6 months.
Colleen
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07-15-2007, 12:31 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Clermont
Posts: 1,753
M.O.C. #266
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We have Tri Care (Military retired) and we pay a set co pay regardless of the store as long as their pharmacy accepts our insurance plan.
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07-15-2007, 12:34 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Steve, I will have to get together with Sue and find out more about the policy, she has the most need for meds, I can get mine through the VA.
I will also check into Sam's, thanks for the tip about them Allan, Carol and Jim, and Colleen.
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07-15-2007, 01:30 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chittenango
Posts: 789
M.O.C. #1011
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Luckily I worked for a school system. My health insurance is less than $300 a year and I only have a $1.00 co-pay on all drugs.
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07-15-2007, 02:30 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Milwaukie
Posts: 388
M.O.C. #6266
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Costco is a good source (and you don't have to be a member) for pricing on drugs. You can easily check prices on line at their website costco.com under pharmacy.
Bob
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07-16-2007, 03:09 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 608
M.O.C. #6162
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by rwbrooks
Costco is a good source (and you don't have to be a member) for pricing on drugs. You can easily check prices on line at their website costco.com under pharmacy.
Bob
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I had called Costco about their online pricing and was told that it is NOT the same as in store pricing. I don't know if this applies to drugs also.
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07-16-2007, 06:00 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Olahoma City
Posts: 1,219
M.O.C. #6054
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United Healthcare has the worst perscription plan I have ever had. I had BCBS and my copay was usually $5.00-$25.00 per perscription. On UHC the cheapest perscription is $20.00 and the majority cost $40.00 copay.
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07-17-2007, 07:03 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Asheville
Posts: 502
M.O.C. #1967
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I hate all of the insurance companies. Next year my premium alone is going to $900.00 a month because I turned 60 last month. You said CVS was less than Walmart and my Independent is less than CVS. Doesn't help you full timers though.
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07-17-2007, 10:11 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Naples
Posts: 658
M.O.C. #4049
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We have BC BS through work. The prescription program is through Caremark. Even before Caremark took over the prescription program, my prescriptions at CVS run around $1.25 for my Lisinopril. Thirty day supply. Walmart was charging me $19.00. Karen takes Femara for her breast Cancer and at Walmart, $250.00 vs $60.00 at CVS. Walmart or CVS, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
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07-17-2007, 04:20 PM
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#18
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Good input folks, helps us all.
Ozz
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