Use the new flat-rate $4 dollar generic prescription plans

Oct 2008
16
Posted In:  hospital and medical

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The $4 prescription trend has exploded since it's beginnings in 2006.  The trend has made a big difference for consumers that were paying top-dollar for the generic prescription drugs that made the list. Wal-Mart is famous for starting this movement, initially with a very limited list of commonly used generic medications. At the time, the four dollar cost was lower than what most people were paying as an insurance co-payment, and sometimes represented hundreds of dollars of savings per purchase for those that didn't have insurance.

After patients starting switching to WalMart, other stores followed the trend quickly. While the list of covered medications has grown significantly, it is still limited to generic drugs, and won't help you with any expensive brand purchases. If you are in that category, you may want to talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see if there's a drug on the list that either a direct substitute, or may work just as well.

Things to watch for:

  • The lists of qualifying drugs does differ from store to store.  If your medication isn't on your current pharmacies' list, you may want to check the links below and switch to place where your prescription is covered.
  • Your doctor may have you on a brand-name specific prescription, or on a drug where a different, but suitable generic medication exists.  Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist about this if you have a particularly expensive medication.

The list

Again, Wal-mart is famous for introducing $4 prescriptions But, since WalMart's famous debut, other retail giants have gotten in the game as well.  Wal-Mart's offer is on their site here.  Links for Target, Food City, Kroger's, and Giant Eagle's four dollar prescription programs follow...

And, the traditional drug stores have followed suit.   Not with 4 dollar prescription plans, but similar plans like $9.99 for 90 days at CVS. Links to the plans from CVS, Rite-Aid and Walgreens:

Update: 

 An offshoot of the $4 prescription is out there now, and it's an even better deal! Free antibiotics. Of course, since the over-prescription of antibiotics is a hot social issue, this new trend is probably not popular with doctors, but here are the place that are currently offering free antibiotics.

 Other areas of the site to explore:

 

 

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Comments

Re: Use the new flat-rate $4 dollar generic prescription plans

Submitted by kiefer on Sun, 07/19/2009 - 18:30.

Makes you wonder how much money the drug companies were bilking Americans out of before WalMart came along and set the $4 prescription drug program up?
It was funny to see all the different stores, Kroger's, Safeway, Costco, Walgreens, CVS, etc, come up with matching programs when their customers started leaving in droves.
Score one for capitalism.