your favorite pharmacy in retirement?

[Dash man]

I’ve been using CVS for years. They are good people located inside our local Target store. We also have a Walgreens and Rite Aide nearby, but I like the more personable folks at CVS best.

 

[travelover]

I generally like Costco, but am rather pissed at their refusal to let me use GoodRx when it is cheaper than running through my Part D coverage. Then Fred Meyer gets the prescription.

 

[Walt34]

We went to CVS for years mostly because CVS manages our prescription plan but I finally got tired of the incompetent bozos they hire and standing in line. Moved everything to a Walgreens down the street and am much happier with them. Very rarely is there a line and if so it's short. It is slightly more expensive but worth it to me for the far better service.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

My health care plan [Martins Point] has its own mail-order pharmacy.

I have one prescription that comes from a different mail-order pharmacy because it is an injection that must be custom mixed and packed in dry ice.

 

[kcowan]

London Drugs, Farmacia Guadalajara, Costco

Bit of a problem with lineups lately. Prices going up.

 

[ls99]

My favorite pharamcy is .... none. I take no prescription meds. Do order random vitamins from fleabay.
Though there may come a time when will have to chose one. Hopefuly not formany years

 

[brett]

Spouse likes Costco but all she gets is a generic high blood pressure pill.

I do not take anything thankfully.

 

[geeky_grrl]

Mail order is much more cost effective under my current health plan so I use it for long term meds. I also find it more convenient to have things delivered.

If I need something filled right away I'll use whatever is more convenient at the moment - Fred Meyer's if I also need to do some grocery shopping or Rite Aid because it is closest to my house.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Its 0.00 if I pickup on the military base so that's what I do 99pct of the time.

 

[Speculator]

Express Scripts for 90-day supplies of possibly life-long medications (no problems with their delivery services, yet) and Kroger for one-time prescriptions like antibiotics.

 

[Focus]

My locally owned pharmacy (where I have my one prescription for a topical) is being bought out by Rite Aid, so I just switched to Amazon Pharmacy. Too early to tell how that's going to go. They just launched a week ago and tell me they're backed up; currently it's taking them a couple of days to input a new prescription.

 

[Goonie]

I've always gone to the local mom & pop pharmacies, until about a year ago. CVS came to town and bought out all four of the mom & pop joints. So I switched to the local Kroger pharmacy, which is in my insurance provider's network, and because that's where we've gone for years for vaccinations. The pharmacists and techs there are very pleasant and helpful. Also, I shop at Kroger a lot, so it's very convenient.

 

[Ole Red 29]

we used to use a local CVS for "one offs" and the 90 day mail order from express scripts for long term medicaton. Then we got the "GoodRX" app (there are other apps that do similar thing) and was SHOCKED at the price difference between stores. My wife had breast cancer a few years ago and takes several medications. On one of the medications we saved $300 on a 90 day supply by buying it through Kroger over the mail order supply from express scripts. The down side is by not using express scripts, it doesn't go toward my deductible, but we never top out our deductible anyway and the savings are worth it. On the app, you type in the name, quantity and strength of your medication and it lists all the pharmacies around you and the price of the medication at each. Again, it is SHOCKING at the difference for the same medication between stores.

 

[jollystomper]

There is a CVS a mile from us, and 3 others 5-10 miles from us, and it is in our plan. That is what we use for prescription drugs. I have not done a thorough cost comparison, but my prescriptions are so inexpensive (90 days supplies for < $5) that I have been too lazy to price compare.

For OTC stuff we shop around for the best price/sales/coupons.

 

[Chuckanut]

Walgreens is my main choice for two reasons:

1. It is a 5-10 minute walk from my home.
2. My Part D insurance is the AARP Walgreens plan. They had the best cost/benefit ratio.

I would switch in a NY Minute if another plan had a better cost.

 

[TrvlBug]

There have been several posts about Express Scripts problems including mine. Here's my LATEST. Tried to renew my prescription online. Says I have no refills left even though I have one left. Called yesterday. Yes I have one refill left.......disconnected. Called again and thought I would handle through the automated refill. It says a refill is in process. Called again to talk to a live person to confirm refill in process. Initially told me nope, no refills left. Explained situation and she had to call another department to confirm refill then call another department to confirm it was in process (yes, it was).

One half hour out of my life...this time around. As I mentioned in my earlier thread, even though it will be a bit more expensive, I'm outa here.

 

[youbet]

Now that I am retired I am considering switching my pharmacy. I have been using CVS for many years but, the closest one isn't that convenient anymore.

Also, I have heard of better senior discounts from other pharmacies. I am considering Rite-Aid or Walgreens.

With senior discounts and Medicare coverage on meds in mind, what have folks settled on and like?

Thx

I like to use Buster who's usually on the corner of 63rd and Dorchester during the evening rush hour. Other times can be arranged, but you have to know how to get in touch with him and not many people do.

As far as more traditional pharmacies go, your Part D insurance provider will be making that decision for you.

 

[Rex]

Walgreens Alliance Prime Rx.....It's all mail order. Easy to order online and easy to switch addresses when we are somewhere else.

 

[jayanu]

Prefer the little small town "mom and pop" pharmacy (20 miles away) which happens to be the closest to where we live... They know us and greet us by name when we walk in, and they have a knowledgeable and competent staff. Unfortunately, our drug insurance (Express Scrips) makes it's impossible (well difficult) to use them for any long term prescriptions unless we want to pay full price and not use the insurance... Every year Express Scripts makes things more difficult. There should be law(s) against some of the things they pull which I won't go into here. And yes, I do plan to try another prescription drug provider as soon as the DW goes on Medicare...

I agree personal relationship is important. We moved from NJ to PA but we kept our NJ pharmacy. They send the medicines the next day by FedEx w/o extra charge and I get 3 months' supply - some local pharmacies may not give more than one-month supply - so little more expensive.

The price is mostly governed by your drug plan. Unless you can get cheaper than what the medical drug plan charges it does not make a difference where you buy from the economic point of view.

 

[rk911]

walgreen's. they're everywhere. when we're on the road it would be very unusual to be more than 30-min from a walgreen's. plus...they have the most wonderful chocolate covered raisins...Nice brand.

 

[meleana]

Walmart. It is a preferred pharmacy for our insurances. Texts for refills. Alerts for when they are ready and they are ready quickly! Fast pick up.

More importantly has the medication my husband needs. Last year- he had a hard time getting his meds at other pharmacies when we lived in another state and had different insurance.

Also last year used mail order but phone service stinks ( CVS Caremark) now. We used to like mail order but Walmart is actually easier and it’s just 4 miles away.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

We've used Osco for decades because it's located in the Jewel food store where we buy much of our groceries. Very convenient. In recent years the pharmacy service has gotten much slower and nobody can answer questions.

Last month, we went into Osco for our flu shots. We specifically asked if we could get the Fluzone Quadrivalent Hi Dose. They said Yes and we spent 10 minutes filling out more paperwork than it takes to buy a car. Then waited another 15 minutes for our turn.
As the different lady was preparing to give us the jab, I asked again if we were getting the Fluzone Quadrivalent Hi Dose. She said "No, we have another ones that's supposed to be as good." She also said that they had been out of the FQHD shots for weeks, and that nobody nearby had them and nobody knew when they would be available, if ever.
I got out my cellphone and called the CVS about a block away, they had the FQHD in stock with no problem. We drove down there, filled out one sheet of paper, and got the jabs. The tech showed me the packaging to verify we were getting what we wanted.

We'll be transferring our prescriptions to CVS this month.

 

[folly]

shop local

I use the mom and pop place close to me. This is the third time in my life I have used the little mom and pop place and I LOVE IT. They have customer service like no large place could ever offer.

 

[jam12]

My blood pressure meds (2) have been with CVS for years...

My thyroid med is from a very trusted homeopathic pharmacy in our town.