Drugstore survey finds shocking prices differences for widely used prescription drugs
December 05, 2015
Some prescription drugs cost as much as 10 times more at one retailer than at another, even within the same zip code, a national price survey of more than 200 pharmacies by Consumer Reports showed.
Secret shoppers called pharmacies and requested retail prices – the out of pocket price you’d pay if you didn’t use your insurance – for the generic versions of five common prescription drugs: Actos or pioglitazone, for type 2 diabetes; Cymbalta or duloxetine, an antidepressant also used to treat muscle and bone pain; Lipitor or atorvastatin, for high cholesterol; Plavix or clopidogrel, a blood thinner; and Singulair or montelukast, for asthma.
Some survey highlights:
- In Raleigh, N.C., prices for a month’s supply of the same drug – generic Cymbalta – varied widely among stores that were a few miles apart. On the low end, the drug was available for $43 at Costco versus a high of $249 at Walgreens. However, the pharmacist at Walgreens suggested using the store’s discount program to lower the price to $220, which would require paying a $20 annual fee.
- In Dallas, a shopper was quoted a price of $150 for generic Plavix at CVS while Preston Village Pharmacy, an independent, said it would sell the drug for $23.
- In Denver, the grocery store Albertson’s Save-On said its price for generic Actos was $330, but nearby Cherry Creek Pharmacy said it would sell the drug for $15.
“The pricing differences are nothing short of shocking,” said Lisa Gill, deputy editor, Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs. “Our advice to consumers is simple: Shop around for your meds each and every time. Prices can vary significantly, no matter where you live and shop.”
Gill advises consumers to do research and include reputable online outlets, big box stores, and local independent drug stores.
A recent poll by Consumer Reports showed that one-third of those who take a drug saw a spike in price in the last 12 months – from a few dollars to more than $100 per prescription.
The poll of more than 1,000 adults also found that when faced with sudden price increases, less than 20 percent of consumers comparison shop to get a better deal.
Gill said Consumer Reports worries that consumers may make risky tradeoffs because of the higher drug costs, such as not taking the proper dosage or skipping the medication. Another concern is the difficulty consumers face pricing drugs and making comparisons between different products.
“One of the most consistent findings in Consumer Reports’ price scan is a lack of price transparency in the pharmacy marketplace,” she said. “It is it extremely difficult to understand what the real or lowest possible price of a drug should be.
Gill said consumers should ask, ‘Is this your best price?”
Pharmacists play a critical role in helping consumers navigate confusing drug prices, she said. But sometimes they’re prohibited from offering better prices unless they’re asked.
“Our secret shoppers found again and again that pharmacists will not offer a better price unless you ask,” Gill said. “Asking for a better price will often prompt the pharmacist to dig a little and help you find a discount.”
And while most consumers assume that the best, lowest price is the price of their co-pay, sometimes it’s possible to get an even lower price. Consumers should ask the pharmacist how much it would cost to pay for a medication without using their insurance. Some store discounts can lower a drug’s retail price below a person’s copay.
What consumers can do
Here are some strategies Consumer Reports offers for savings:
- Go generic whenever you can. Talk to your doctor about cost when you’re first being prescribed a drug and ask for a generic. Choosing a generic over a brand name drug can save you a lot of money – as much as 90 percent in some cases. If a generic doesn’t exist, ask if there is a low-cost alternative in the same class of drugs.
- Skip chain drugstores. For all five drugs Consumer Reports priced, the big pharmacy chains charged the most. Among the walk-in stores, Costco offered the best prices. You don’t need to be a member to use Costco’s pharmacy, Gill said.
- Support independents. Though you might think that mom and pop stores usually charge higher prices, Consumer Reports found that wasn’t always the case. Secret shoppers found some real bargains at the independents. Independents may have a little more flexibility in terms of matching and beating competitors’ lower prices. But you have to ask.
- Check out prices without using your insurance. Many chain and big box stores offer hundreds of common generics at prices as low as $4 for a 30-day supply and $10 for a 90-day supply for people who pay out of pocket. But be careful. When consumers bypass insurance, money spent on their medication won’t count toward their deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums.
- Ask “Is this your lowest price?” Some pharmacists can’t offer a lower price unless you ask. For example, Costco can’t offer consumers using Medicare Part D a better cash price unless they ask. And Rite Aid told Consumer Reports its pharmacists process prescriptions through insurance unless customers ask them to do otherwise.
- Buy a 90-day prescription. Buying a three-month supply can save you cash and offer convenience.
- Look online. If you’re paying out of pocket, check GoodRx.com to learn its “fair price” and use that to negotiate if a pharmacist quotes you a higher price. You can also fill a prescription with an online pharmacy. The one Consumer Reports’ secret shoppers used, Healthwarehouse.com, had the lowest prices overall. Be careful about the site you choose. Many sites that bill themselves as Canadian are actually fake storefronts selling low quality or counterfeit products. You can search for the “VIPPS” symbol to show that the pharmacy is a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site.
- Check out Consumer Reports’ drug savings guide. Visit org to access Best Drugs for Less, a shopper’s guide to saving at the pharmacy. Best Buy Drugs evaluates prescription drugs based on safety, effectiveness, and cost.
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