[StBernard] COSTCO'S PERSCRIPTIONS A SHOCKER.

[Westley Annis]

The manufacturer, developer of the drug has a certain number of years while
under patent to recoup their expenses, plus the usual r&d costs they can
either write off on taxes or get deductions/credits for.  Once a drug goes
generic prices should go down.


I believe the costs she's talking about are the costs of regular commercial
pharamacies compared to the ones in the member stores.

As an example:  my mother has Tricare for Life since my Dad was a retired
military officer.  Tricare has a drug benefit.  I got an e.o.b. from express
scripts which handles the drug benefit program for Tricare.  I'll give you
an example of one drug we get filled locally.  She uses generic Flonase nose
spray for allergies .  Here's what the e.o.b. from tricare had on that drug:

Fluticasone propionate:  amt charged (by Walgreens) $85.26.  Tricare
allowed:  $18.62.  co-pay was $3.00  tricare paid: $17.18.

Now if Walgreens was losing money on this they would not participate in the
tri care plan.  Same things goes for Cipro.  Her doctor phoned in a 7 day
dose of 2 pills a day for qty of 14.  Walgreens submitted $74.33, tri care
allowed $10.43, mom's co-pay was $3.00 for generic and tricare paid
Walgreens $8.99

I on the other hand *don't* have prescription drug coverage but I do pay
$20/yr for Walgreens savings club.  However the generic  flonase is not
covered under the savings club so I pay $52.00+ for it.  

I have no idea what Walgreens' actual price is for the generic flonase but
it's somewhere below the $18.62 tricare allowed, or as I said,
they-Walgreens- would not participate in the program.

JY