A. Prices will always vary on prescription drugs and therefore it is impossible to estimate specific dollar savings through any non-insured drug program. Your membership offers two avenues for drug purchases: The Neighborhood Pharmacy program offers 10-50% discounts on acute care medications.
Q. Do I get a discount on every single drug at the
neighborhood pharmacy when I use my Membership card?
A. Not necessarily. Drug stores, like hardware and grocery
stores determine their own pricing structures. Due to large
discounts from manufacturers, some drugs may already be priced at or
below the PBM's discount price. However, as a general rule, you can
expect that 80% to 90% of your required, acute-care prescription
needs will be discounted below the stores usual retail price. The
PBM network pharmacies have agreed to sell prescription drugs at the
contract price, or their "usual retail price" whichever is lower.
Q. Why didn't I save any money at the participating local
drugstore?
A. More than likely, you ordered a long-term maintenance
medication versus a short-term acute care medication such as an
antibiotic or pain-killer. Most pharmacies use long-term,
maintenance medications as "loss leaders" and price these drugs at
or below cost. They do this so that their customers will assume that
all their prices are low. It's a marketing strategy. The pharmacy
realizes that for long-term medications, you'll shop around in order
to get the best price for a medication that you may be taking for
the rest of your life. As the consumer, you are led to believe that
this pharmacy has low prices on all their prescription drugs and
other items. Our pharmacy program has contracted with independent
and chain pharmacies nationwide to offer you a discounted price that
will normally save you 10% to 50% on short term medications.
However, in order to draw customers, many pharmacies opt to price
their prescriptions lower than the contracted price. In this case
the member gets the lower of the two. Normally, they use high
profile maintenance drugs for these "loss leader" price reductions
such as Prozac, Zantac, and Premarin.
Q. What if the Pharmacist doesn't recognize the card's
name?
A. Always make inquiries in person and be sure to bring
your card with you. When the pharmacist sees the Pharmacy Benefit
Manager information on the card, the pharmacist then understands
which program you are on.
Q. Is this a co-pay insurance card?
A. No. A co-pay card is an insured product where the
customer pays a preset amount and the insurance company pays the
remainder. This membership is a discount card offering reduced
prices. You are responsible to pay the pharmacy 100% of the
discounted price.
