Try comparison shopping for prescriptions

Since becoming a mother, I have been to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions more times than during the combined 30 years prior to my having children.

There is no doubt that the cost of medical visits, health insurance and prescriptions is a significant budget drain for most families. I've also learned that when it comes to getting prescriptions filled, it makes sense to compare prices between different types of pharmacies to save money.

Recently, my favorite grocery, Publix (a grocery store chain in the Southeast) announced it would begin providing free 14-day supplies of the generic version of seven common antibiotics. Publix officials estimate that half of all of their generic antibiotic prescriptions filled for children are included on this list of seven antibiotics. However, the program is available to customers of all ages, income levels and insurance coverages.

Last fall, Wal-Mart unveiled a new prescription program at its Florida stores, which I wrote about. The stores began offering a specific list of generic drugs at a flat price of $4 per 30-day prescription. Shoppers responded positively, so Wal-Mart quickly expanded the $4 generic-drug program nationwide. Today, the program covers hundreds of drugs.

Other retailers followed suit, offering similar pricing programs for the same list of generic drugs. Target offers $4 30-day prescriptions on the same list of drugs, Kmart offers $15 prescriptions for 90-day supplies of 300 selected generic drugs, and many grocery stores (such as Kroger) will match generic prices when asked by the customer.

CVS/Pharmacy officials stated that their research of the list of drugs covered revealed that the CVS/Pharmacy price was actually lower than $4 for many of the generics listed, so they did not match the program. That's an interesting lesson. Be sure to ask your grocery store what the regular price of the generic drug is before you request that they match the $4 price!

Grocery stores are eager to garner their customers' pharmacy business, so they are also offering attractive prescription programs. According to IMS Health research statistics reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, only 8 percent of 2006 prescription drug sales of $275 billion were spent in grocery stores. The majority of prescription spending, 35 percent, was spent in chain drugstores, followed by 15 percent spent with mail-order services.

Offering attractive prescription programs can help grocery stores compete with warehouse clubs and other mass merchandisers who are luring customers away from buying profitable personal care items and paper products at their traditional grocery store.

Last October, Meijer stores in Michigan paved the way by offering a free antibiotic program at their stores, giving 14-day supplies of seven common generic antibiotics most frequently prescribed to children. Importantly, this free program is available to customers who have prescription drug insurance as well, saving them the cost of their traditional prescription co-pay. Meijer officials estimated the list of free antibiotics covers 70 percent of their antibiotic prescriptions filled for children.

Rx for more savings

When it comes to prescriptions not included on the free-and-discounted-generics list, there are more ways to save:

•Watch your mail and weekly store ads for new prescription or transferred-prescription coupons, such as getting a $25 store gift card when you bring in a new prescription. Be sure to ask your pharmacy whether they accept competitors' prescription coupons (CVS/Pharmacy does) to increase your savings.

• Sign up for your drugstore's e-mail newsletter, as they typically send out pharmacy coupons to use in their stores via e-mail.

• Whenever you get a new prescription drug, go to your computer and find its manufacturer's Web site. You may find a coupon you can print for that specific drug, or a special discount program for larger prescriptions.

• Ask your doctor's office and pharmacist whether they have any brochures about the drug, since they may include coupons or a mail-in card to receive coupons.

• If your insurance does not cover your prescription fully, you can call a few pharmacies to compare prices before filling the prescription. I have found that prices can vary widely, and the savings can be substantial. Be sure to check with warehouse clubs as well. You do not have to be a member of the warehouse club to take advantage of its pharmacy services.