CHEAPER PRESCRIPTIONS

Have you ever wondered when you get a prescription where to get it filled to reduce your OOP expenses? Consumer Reports did a study on five drugs that have recently become available as generics. I won't bore you with the generic name because they are just too long! The drugs surveyed were Actos (for diabetes), Lexapro (antidepresent), Lipitor (high cholesterol, Plavix (blood thinner), and Singulair (asthma). The result? A whopping differrence of $749, or 447 percent, between the highest and lowest priced stores. Costco was the least expensive overall, and you don't need to be a member to use its pharmacy. You pay less there but you will not be able to fill a prescription on Sunday and typically they close earlier than a CVS would. For example, Lipitor was $17 at Costco but $150 at CVS and $65 at Walgreens. Plavix was $15 at Costco and $180 at CVS and $50 at Walgreens. Are you seeing a pattern here? The bottom line is make sure you price shop for your drugs!