Epilepsy Talk

DEEPLY DISCOUNTED DRUGS WITHOUT INSURANCE | March 18, 2010

Believe it or not, you can save BIG bucks at the drugstore around the corner (some prescription, some generic and some of both, depending upon the pharmacy) if you just do a little homework…

Costco Member Prescription Program — offers a discount on all branded and generic prescription medications.   Members (and their dependents) who have no prescription drug coverage available are eligible to join. http://www.envisionrx.com/costco/cmpp.aspx

The CVS/pharmacy Health Savings Pass allows you to pay only $9.99 for a 90 day supply of your generic prescription.  http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/promoContent/promoLandingTemplate.jsp?promoLandingId=1046

Target’s FREE Prescription Discount Card saves you up to 80% on Target’s generic medications and up to 15% on Target’s name brand prescriptions.  http://www.rxfreecard.com/target-prescription-savings.html

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club has over 400 generics priced at $12 for a 90-day supply.  https://webapp.walgreens.com/MYWCARDWeb/servlet/walgreens.wcard.proxy.WCardInternetProxy/RxSavingsRH

Walmart and Sam’s Club offer you ”special negotiated pricing on prescription drugs” with their PatientAssistance.com Prescription Drug Program.  (Sounds kind of fishy to me.)  http://www.patientassistance.com/wmt.html

And the RxSavingsPlus is a free drug/prescription discount card, to help lower the price for medication. It can be used at CVS Pharmacy, Target, Rite Aid and 60,000 participating pharmacies nationwide. And offers an average of 20% off the retail price of drugs.  (Kind of skimpy, but one-stop shopping.) http://www.rxsavingsplus.com/

Go for it!

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15 Comments »

  1. Hi Phylis,

    I get my medicines from a CVS Pharmacy only a few blocks away from my house. They never told us about a HEALTH SAVINGS PASS. They gave me an in-store savings pass, but it takes a long time before the coupons start taking effect.

    Now that I know, I am going to see them about this. It does not say whether or not it applies to someone with insurance. I will ask and find out.

    Thank you very much for this important information. Ruth

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 18, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar

    • I think it only applies to people without any kind of insurance. But check it out. They’re kind of secretive about the details!

      Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 18, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar

  2. Hi Phylis,
    It never hurts to check it out. You are probably right though.

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 19, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  3. It sounds like each plan is different, so maybe you should just click and find out the detals…

    Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 19, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  4. Hi Phylis, I did click and I will have to go to the pharmacy and find out the details.

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 20, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  5. Southie (aka Sharon or Brain) seems to favor CVS. Here’s what she had to say:

    “ONE ADVANTAGE CVS has over everyone else is they won’t leave you out on the short-end of the stick if your Neurologist / Epileptologist or Neurosurgeon had not yet gotten in the refill order. They will go so far as to fill you up for a few days so you will NOT go without, as long as you’ve become an established client with them … PLUS you gain bonuses from CVS for being their customer with their Bucks Back (I use it all the time (*laughing*).

    The additional benefit here with CVS – they are PROTECTIVE of their regular established
    customers. If your Doctor orders it “Medically Necessary” and the Insurance debates it – CVS will fight for you! CVS understands their customers and once a rapport has been established, it is generally wise to provide them all your Physician’s Names including a next-of-kin contact in the event they are unable to reach you or even a next door neighbor. They know their customers can “forget” about their medication pick up and will help you.”

    Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 20, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  6. Hi Phylis,

    When I forget to pick up my medicines, CVS gives me a call to remind me.

    Ruth

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 20, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  7. The only hitch with the $9.99 for 90 days is that the drugs have to be GENERIC. http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/promoContent/promoLandingTemplate.jsp?promoLandingId=1046

    However, they have some cool health info too. Here’s the page for diabetes: http://www.cvshealthresources.com/topic/diabetescenter

    Epilepsy is not covered. (It figures.) Or so it seems. I couldn’t get the list of generic drugs to come up….my adobe acrobat was acting up.

    But it sure is worth looking into. Especially if your insurance isn’t too good…or you have none.

    Here’s what they say: “Enrollment into the CVS/pharmacy Health Savings Pass is easy and costs only $10 annually, per person. Whether you have limited prescription insurance or no coverage at all, you can sign up today for the CVS/pharmacy Health Savings Pass and start saving immediately.

    It’s not an insurance plan, but a prescription savings pass that allows you to save on the medications you and your family need.”

    Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 20, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  8. Hi Phylis,

    That Extra Care Card has nothing to do with saving on medicines, insurance or no insurance. I have a card.

    What the Extra Care Card is for: you get your prescriptions, they slide my Extra Care Card for me. It is for in-store purchases. I can save money for anything I buy in the store, except the pharmacy.

    It is for any medication except you do not save on the medicines. They have coupons in the link you gave me and tells me how much I will save in the store.

    Ruth

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 21, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  9. Well, that doesn’t sound very helpful, even if Sharon did rave about CVS. Maybe you should try the Walgreens link or the Target one.

    Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 21, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  10. Hi Phylis,

    I am sorry, I did not look up the other link. It goes straight to the health savings. It is the promocontent link.

    Thank you, that will be helpful for me. I find CVS is the best pharmacy for me.

    Ruth

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 21, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  11. Hi Phylis,

    I went to CVS yesterday afternoon to pick up a medicine. I asked for the Health Savings Plan. They told me it was $10 a year. It only covers certain prescriptions.

    They gave me a list of the prescriptions it covers. You get a 3 month prescription from the doctor. Then they will cover it.

    I did not find any epilepsy medications. They have headings, like Asthma, Diabetes etc. They only cover certain medicines and certain doses of medicines, as well.

    It is a help to those who need it, the uninsured maybe can change their medicines to the ones that they do cover.
    Ruth

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 27, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  12. Does it help you with your Diabetes meds?

    Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 27, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

  13. Yes, it does. I am not on meds for my diabetes. For those who are this it covers, 5 different meds and different strenghts. It covers metforim, glyburide, glipizde, glimespride and chlorpropamide. The phone number to call is
    1-800-616-CARE (2273)

    Comment by Ruth Brown — March 28, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar

    • That’s terrific. Thanks for the phone number, Ruth!

      Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 28, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar


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    About the author

    Phylis Feiner Johnson has been a professional copywriter for 30 years. She also spent 20 years with epilepsy. She writes from the heart to increase education, awareness and funding for epilepsy research. For further information, contact The Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania at http://www.efepa.org/ and please make a contribution to become an advocate, too.

    Important Resources

    • The Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania. The EFEPA provides many important services, including a wonderful camp for kids with epilepsy…epilepsy seminars for first aid…awareness and education…and advocacy support.
    • The Epilepsy Foundation. Dedicated to improving how people with epilepsy are perceived, accepted and valued in society; and promoting research for a cure.

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