Prescription Info - What my ins. company told me to save $

[justdeb]

This was a shock to me - in all my years of having BC/BS insurance, no one EVER told me this, until last week when I got a very nice rep on the phone.

I am on several meds that I must take daily and ususally get them through my ins. company's mail order program - saving me a 1 month copay in the process. I was calling, (as ususal) to ensure the prices didnt change before getting one of my scripts filled and the rep told me it would be the standard $20.00 for a 3 month supply through mail order - or $10.00 if I did through retail, so $30.00 for the 3 month supply. I was just about to hang up when he said "You know - you can get alot of your meds much cheaper OUTSIDE of your ins. plan...you do know that right?"

I about fell over when he said that and asked him to explain. He told me that Wal-Mart and most other places that offer the $3.99 RX meds can fill many of their 1st Tier generics for less than what I would pay for my mail order. Asked him how could I do that since I have insurance and he said "you dont need to use your insurance every time - just ask them if its cheaper to get it with or without insurance - and they'll run it both ways for you."

So... I called Wal-Mart (like I was going to trust my ins. company ) - and asked them what the price would be for this med without insurance - and sure enough - my med was $3.99 for a 30 day supply OR $10.00 for a 3 month supply!

wait a sec...?! A 3 month supply for $10.00? So... had I used the mail order, I'd of paid an extra $10.00 - and if I would've submitted it through insurance using my card - I would have paid $10.00 for a 30 day supply - and here I got the entire 3 month supply for $10.00.



I wish I would've gotten the reps name so I could call back and thank him - all this time and alot of my meds I could've checked on doing this way. So now for this one med, I will only pay $40.00 a year for vs. $80.00 via mail in through insurance, or if I went with a 30 day supply, $120.00! Outrageous!

Also - most pharmacies offer FREE antibiotics for a 14 days course - so if you require antibiotics - get the list from your pharmacy (Giant is one I know that does this - and I think Wal-Mart does now too) - and when you go see your dr. ask if there is med on the list that will work. You just bring it in and get it for free.

[Evan Bedard]

Isn't it just great when you get someone on the phone who actually cares. That is amazing and I am sure millions of people are not even aware of it, I sure know I wasn't.

Thank you for sharing this justdeb!

[we're_still_reviewing]

This was a shock to me - in all my years of having BC/BS insurance, no one EVER told me this, until last week when I got a very nice rep on the phone.

I am on several meds that I must take daily and ususally get them through my ins. company's mail order program - saving me a 1 month copay in the process. I was calling, (as ususal) to ensure the prices didnt change before getting one of my scripts filled and the rep told me it would be the standard $20.00 for a 3 month supply through mail order - or $10.00 if I did through retail, so $30.00 for the 3 month supply. I was just about to hang up when he said "You know - you can get alot of your meds much cheaper OUTSIDE of your ins. plan...you do know that right?"

I about fell over when he said that and asked him to explain. He told me that Wal-Mart and most other places that offer the $3.99 RX meds can fill many of their 1st Tier generics for less than what I would pay for my mail order. Asked him how could I do that since I have insurance and he said "you dont need to use your insurance every time - just ask them if its cheaper to get it with or without insurance - and they'll run it both ways for you."

So... I called Wal-Mart (like I was going to trust my ins. company ) - and asked them what the price would be for this med without insurance - and sure enough - my med was $3.99 for a 30 day supply OR $10.00 for a 3 month supply!

wait a sec...?! A 3 month supply for $10.00? So... had I used the mail order, I'd of paid an extra $10.00 - and if I would've submitted it through insurance using my card - I would have paid $10.00 for a 30 day supply - and here I got the entire 3 month supply for $10.00.



I wish I would've gotten the reps name so I could call back and thank him - all this time and alot of my meds I could've checked on doing this way. So now for this one med, I will only pay $40.00 a year for vs. $80.00 via mail in through insurance, or if I went with a 30 day supply, $120.00! Outrageous!

Also - most pharmacies offer FREE antibiotics for a 14 days course - so if you require antibiotics - get the list from your pharmacy (Giant is one I know that does this - and I think Wal-Mart does now too) - and when you go see your dr. ask if there is med on the list that will work. You just bring it in and get it for free.

Thanks justdeb. My husband is on several meds that run about $90 a month. I'll check into this !

[Nick1420]

In addition to being able to get most prescriptions from Walmart at $10 for a 3 month supply, you can also call the Walmart home delivery number to have the prescriptions sent to your home address. The Walmart number is 1-800-2-REFILL.