When my bride was fighting cancer she was on a variety of drugs, and some were pretty expensive. I started using GoodRx to comparison shop. I found that CVS and Walgreens were generally the two most expensive pharmacies in the area of San Antonio where we were, GoodRx saved a significant amount of money for us at those places, but prices at Costco and (oddly enough) the HEB grocery store’s pharmacy were always substantially cheaper than Walgreens or CVS. For some prescriptions, by hundreds of dollars, using GoodRx.

Check Mark Cuban's CostPlus Drug Company.

My chemo management drug was $3000/mo from CVS Specialty even though it was a generic. Insurance covered 100% after my deductible through CVS Speciality, but I have to plan for stroking a check for $3k every January to get my refill when deductibles reset. GoodRx knocks that down to $300/mo if I don't want to use insurance.

CostPlus Drug Co? $33/mo but they don't take every insurance yet. Still, it's cheaper than copays.

My dad uses both. Absolutely hates CVS. Shit service. Price becomes a nonissue when you have to drive there 5 times only to find the rx is not actually ready. When they’ve told you over the phone that it is. 5 times.

It's late so I won't go into detail, but they both suck! We have used both so I know what I am talking about. Customer service is crap at both.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
Been using WalMart for over 20 years. The same location. I know most of the pharmacy tecs and pharmacists many who call me by name. The vast majority of what I get is zero co-pay and if not, it's very reasonable so pricing hasn't been an issue.

This is me too. I get good service from the Walmart pharmacy that I use. Like NavyGuy, I know the pharmacists, and in particular, the head pharmacist. We’ve had honest discussions about COVID and the vaccine, and I’ve taken my regular vaccinations there: flu, pneumonia, & Tdap.

No kidding. I tried CVS to fill a script for my wife. Publix had it for 200.00

CVS wanted 1100.00 for the exact meds.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
“CVS” and “cheaper” should never be used in a sentence together…LOL

Everything I see at CVS is so insanely overpriced, I still cannot figure out how they stay in business.

I am saving a substantial amount of money using good RX and Costco.

It's nuts but Costco will often beat Good Rx price only after you give them the Good RX number.

CVS and Walgreens are usually the most expensive.

To answer the original question , we have used both and prefer Walgreens .

Here is a good comparison of prices:

https://www.goodrx.com/amlodipine

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:

Check Mark Cuban's CostPlus Drug Company.

Are you aware of any downside to this?

It looks like paying for my Rx drugs this way would be lower cost than the co-pay with MediCare Part D (Prescription Drug Insurance).

Not that I'm tracking....just purposesfully set up like Costco...15% markups on actual landed cost. Goes to show how fucked up the prescription game is. Only downside for me is they don't currently take my insurance but less than $400/yr is less than my insurance copay was before so meh.

Same generic manufacturers and FDA-approved for import. Talked to my oncologist about it a year ago and he's from India where most of the drugs come from (same as CVA or Walgreens....Israel, India or US for generics, just depending on where the plants are).

My insurance Rx prices are pretty good for most things. The pharmacies have jacked up "retail" prices for generics when not using insurance, and it varies a lot. GoodRx varies too but you can search in the app and find the best deal.

I use CVS now because for the generics I use regularly, they usually fill with well regarded (western) generic manufacturers. I left Walgreens because after many years of being consistent they started filling randomly with all manner of low quality (India made) generic companies. And "a generic is not a generic" as they tell you. It was obvious to me the difference and when I stopped using the Indian crap and went back to a known good brand.

Some things have stupid high insurance prices - usually things like dermatological lotions, and other odd thing. For those I go with GoodRx, but I steer to stores that carry the better generic brands.

I've found some OTC products at Kroger to be much cheaper than either chain.

The wife is adamant about using Walgreens.
Don't know why but it is better not to ask.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

The wife is adamant about using Walgreens.
Don't know why but it is better not to ask.

My wife's doc was sending wife's prescriptions to Walgreens. That shit came to a screeching halt when I pointed out that the same medication that was $45 at Walgreens, was four bucks at Publix.

My previous employer's insurance required we use CVS. Tried multiple CVS locations and found they all have one thing in common. They suck! Scripts never ready when they said they would be. Get notifications that script is ready to be picked up but they couldn't find it when I went in to pick it up. Had a few times they'd tell me they never received the script even after I was told it was ready. Final straw...they gave me the wrong drug! Label on container was right but the pill looked wrong. Looked it up on drugs.com to find it was for a mental condition. Not that I don't need something along those lines according to my wife, but it just wasn't for the condition the prescribed medication handled. Their reaction... it's no big deal. Happens all the time. Really?!?!

If you're in TX go to your local H-E-B pharmacy. Mine was understaffed for a while and having issues but that seems to have been rectified. Great customer service. They even fill scripts from the Vet for my dogs at a much cheaper price. Also found out you can ask if there's a "coupon" for your script. Had one med that went from about $40 to $13 just for asking. Now I ask on every script. Most of my generic stuff does seem to have it.

One thing is certain. There is no consistency in pricing between various pharmacies. Four pharmacies wanted 400 bucks, but I found one for 20 dollars. Throw in coupons and mandates from employers and it is a real mess. I was charged three hundred bucks for a medication while the guy with Medicaid paid five bucks.