Re: Pharmacies and med cost

[Guest guest]

This is a good story. One of the main values is that your money is not going

to a big corporation but o a mom/pop operation and the money stays local.

That's a teriffic solution and one that all of us should strive to help.

Here I am, giving accolades to you, but I'm spending all my nomey at

WalMart! I get much better service from them than the 'stuffed shirt' local

pharmacy. I even tried another one that I'd heard lots of good about, but

they wouldn't even try to work with me, I had to get all the policy info and

everything else before they would talk to me. In my case, I'm in a good

place, so I'll stay there.

Dennis

[ ] Pharmacies and med cost

> Hi everyone, Thought I would pass along what just happened to me. I

> have been fighting a nasty sinus infection for a few months now.

> Went to see my dr. yesterday and he prescribed the same antibiotic

> as I took the last time. Went to my usual pharmacy to have it

> filled (Walgreens). I am on Medi Part D, but have assigned my

> coverage over to a HMO. They said it was to soon to refill the

> presciption and that I would have to wait until the 23rd of this

> month for them to cover it. Walgreen's called my HMO and was told

> that a prior authorization was needed from the Dr. I Called my Dr.

> and ask them to fax authorization to my HMO. Here's where it gets

> good. My Dr. told me to go to a small in town pharmacy and that the

> drug would cost no more than $7.00 out of pocket. He wanted me to

> start immediately, said it would take several days for the

> authorization. I asked Walgreens what the cost would be. They told

> me $76.00. I could not believe it $76.00 for the same drug I could

> get at the small town pharmacy for $7.00. Well quess where I went.

> Sure enough it was only $7.00. Same generic drug, same drug mfg.

> Go figure. Well many of you are wondering why I am writing this.

> Here's where it matters,. Those of us on Medi Part D have a certain

> amount of drug coverage around $2500.00 ceiling than we have to

> spend out of pocket around $1400.00 until we reach the castrophic

> area, then we are covered again. Well if Walgreen's charges my

> HMO/Medi Part D. $76.00, than that must mean I am reaching my

> ceiling much faster than if I had my meds filled at the small town

> pharmacy. At first I though what does it matter, I'm covered and my

> HMO pays for the drugs and I pay a very small co-pay. Altough all

> of the meds I take are on the formulary and I pay a very small co-

> pay I could reach my ceiling very quickly if I stayed at Walgreen's

> I compared the cost of several meds I take and the small town

> pharmacy was less expensive on every one. Oh, by the way I got a

> discount at the small town pharmacy because I am a senior and 2nd.

> because I am disabled. And to top it off they offer free delivery.

> WOW, I didn't get a discount at Walgreen's nor do they deliver. You

> guessed it...The small town pharmacy now has all of my business. I

> hope my little adventure will be of help. Take

> Care all,