$ave On Your Prescription$

[Victoria Street]

Recently, I needed antibiotics, so I asked my doctor to call the Rx into Rite-Aid. She warned me that they would be very expensive, and that I should call around and price check first. I usually am a savvy shopper, but I was anxious to start treatment (Lyme disease) and figured I call around for the next months supply. Besides - Rite-Aid is local, and it feels good to support them. I went to pick up my 30day supply. Imagine my surprise when the cashier rung up $377.00! And that was just for ONE of several prescriptions. I put it on plastic, and drove home in a stupor.

The next month, I called around - and here's where it gets UNBELIEVEABLE. I have been debating whether to keep my Costco membership or not. I hardly use it except for the occasional huge wheel of Cambozola! However - this same medication was only $60! Here's the deal - If you don't have insurance to cover your meds, Costco has you fill out a form stating as much, and they give you this amazing price. My other medications, except for one, were much cheaper as well. However, one of my meds was much MORE expensive at Costco, so it truly is important to call and check ahead of time. But it gets better! The NEXT month when I went to pick up the same antibiotic it was down to $40! Huh? The clerk explained that instead of being in a bottle, this particular med is cheaper in the little blister packs. Perhaps a tad more difficult to open, but so much cheaper! So can you believe this? $377 down to $40! Don't even get me started about big pharma...

I have mentioned on another thread how I am a Kaiser member. However Kaiser does not recognize chronic Lyme disease, nor do their outdated tests detect it. So I had to go elsewhere for testing, treatment, etc. and pay out of my own pocket, in addition to paying my monthly Kaiser premiums. That feels really good! Not. Everyone in the "Lyme community" knows this, so no surprise there. My intent is not to turn this into a thread about Lyme disease, but to let people know about this benefit of buying your prescriptions at Costco. If your medications are not currently being covered by insurance, get a quote from Costco. If you are not a member, perhaps it would be worth your while to join. I truly am grateful to them and tell them so every chance I get!

[Karl Frederick]

Costco's pharmacy used to be available to non-members as well, and perhaps still is . . .

. . . My intent is not to turn this into a thread about Lyme disease, but to let people know about this benefit of buying your prescriptions at Costco. If your medications are not currently being covered by insurance, get a quote from Costco. If you are not a member, perhaps it would be worth your while to join. I truly am grateful to them and tell them so every chance I get!

[Cherished One]

Hi Victoria, Just thought I'd let you know (and this is GOOD news!) that you DO NOT need to be a member of Costco to access and use the Pharmacy. It is available to the general public. When you go in, if you don't happen to be a member of Costco you just tell them that you are going to the pharmacy and you're good to go.

Recently, I needed antibiotics, so I asked my doctor to call the Rx into Rite-Aid. She warned me that they would be very expensive...

[Victoria Street]

Thank you both Karl Frederick and Cherished One - that's great news! Although it doesn't change anything for me personally since I am already a member, hopefully this info can help someone else

[Glia]

It is not necessary to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy. They make their pharmacy available to non-members as a community service. You might be able to use their optical department without being a member, too.

A membership is well worth the up-front cost. What you save on one large shopping trip for household goods, groceries (including organic) and clothing will easily pay for the membership fee. In addition, with some membership levels you also get a rebate on your purchases over the year. We have been getting a big enough rebate that it covers our household membership fee and there is $70 to $100 left over, which they give in cash.

... If you are not a member, perhaps it would be worth your while to join. I truly am grateful to them and tell them so every chance I get!

[Shandi]

Victoria, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience in such detail. I've read about these kinds of things before, but hopefully your experience will forewarn others to take time to check around. Rushing into any purchase usually does cost more, no matter what it is. We pay a price for instant gratification, and it's understandable why you wanted to get started. I would have had to leave without the medicine, and search for a better price.

The other thing I find hard to believe, is that Kaiser doesn't recognize Lyme disease. If I wasn't a Kaiser member, and had Lyme disease, I couldn't afford treatment.

So, the thing you can also be thankful for is that you can afford these medications (and organic foods) to maintain your health, even if you'd prefer to be spending less on them.

Recently, I needed antibiotics, so I asked my doctor to call the Rx into Rite-Aid. She warned me that they would be very expensive...

[Victoria Street]

Thanks Shandi - What I failed to mention in my post is that when I did call around to different pharmacies, their prices were in the same ballpark ($377). It was Costco that was so dramatically lower, and then lower still without insurance ($40).

The medical community is split over the topic of Lyme Disease. It's too complicated to go into here, but there's an excellent award-winning documentary called "Under Our Skin." You can find it for free, floating around out there in cyber land. Most people, including myself, have little interest in reading about or watching a movie about some illness or disease that has nothing to do with them personally. However, if you want to see just how slimy our medical establishment can be, then this is the film for you...

Many people can't afford treatment. It's ridiculous. If they are fortunate enough to get diagnosed immediately, then their treatment will be short, effective and inexpensive. Unfortunately, the rift in the medical community (not just Kaiser...) is causing misdiagnosis and delayed treatment which translates into a very expensive, and often times, ineffectual outcome for the patient. I have to afford it - it's my life! We all have many things to be thankful for. Getting my good health back is at the top of that list.

Victoria, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience in such detail. I've read about these kinds of things before...

[Dixon]

I'm assuming that a Costco membership for a household of just one person is not worthwhile, as most of what they sell is large amounts, and I haven't the storage space for a bunch of stuff it'll take me months and months to use. Am I right?

[Victoria Street]

I'm assuming that a Costco membership for a household of just one person is not worthwhile, as most of what they sell is large amounts, and I haven't the storage space for a bunch of stuff it'll take me months and months to use. Am I right?

I agree with you, Dixon. Even when my husband was alive, our lifestyle was such that we didn't use it much. But when we did, I found it worthwhile. Why, the savings in kitty litter alone payed for the membership several times over! But, like everything else in life, it depends on one's lifestyle/circumstances. As I've gotten older, I have everything I need, and need even less, so Costco isn't such a big deal to me anymore. Several posters have brought to my attention on this thread that you don't need to be a member in order to use the pharmacy. That's good to know...

[Glia]

Not everything Costco sells is in "mass quantities" format, clothes and shoes for example. For supplies such as laundry detergent, buying a large container saves money and reduces the packaging that needs to be recycled or ends up in a landfill.

Splitting up large package or multi-unit items with other folks in the same situation is an option. So is cutting up large food items and freezing some for later if you have a reasonable amount of freezer space. They also sell wine and booze by the bottle at a good price if that is something of interest.

In general the cost per unit is about half the price of a grocery store, which can make a difference on a limited budget, even for one or two people.

I'm assuming that a Costco membership for a household of just one person is not worthwhile, as most of what they sell is large amounts, and I haven't the storage space for a bunch of stuff it'll take me months and months to use. Am I right?

[Barry]

I bought a bag of organic grapefruits there recently (maybe 8-10 fruits) and they were the best I have ever had!
They'll be "gone" (ie eaten) in less than a week!

[Ted Pole]

Costco's "large quantity" items really, really work for things you use a lot of, even if you live alone or with just one other person. Toilet paper, detergents, cooking oils, coffee, frozen organic blueberries, printer ink cartridges, tires, and many more. If you live alone, take a friend with you to Costco, buy in bulk and split it.

As for prescriptions and insurance, Costco has been great for a long time, and other chain pharmacies sometimes have a "no insurance" rate that is substantially less than for the "insured". Not only that, but almost every doctor, clinic and medical service provider has a "no insurance" discount, sometimes as much as 50%, because, as you might imagine, the time and cost of dealing with insurance companies is just that big of a PITA for them. Always ask before you go in what the "no insurance" price is.

[Philip Tymon]

I found this out years ago-- so thanks for sharing it more widely.

I do have a small additional twist. A number of years ago I needed a prescription refilled, but didn't want to go all the way to Costco. I went to the Guerneville Safeway. They quoted me $79. I told him that I could get it at Costco for $19. He called Costco, confirmed the price and gave it to me for $19. Think of the implications of that. I realized right then why our entire health care system was a disaster.