Mark up generics by 975%

[ponto]

On the Freakonomics blog, Stephen Dubner (co-author of the wonderful Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything) digs into the pricing on generic drugs and finds that the main-street pharmacies mark up their offerings by 975 percent!

Even once you factor in the cost of buying a membership at Costco and Sam?s Club, the price differences were astounding.

Here are the prices he found at Houston stores for 90 tablets of generic Prozac:

Walgreens: $117

Eckerd: $115

CVS: $115

Sam?s Club: $15

Costco: $12

Those are not typos. Walgreens charges $117 for a bottle of the same pills for which Costco charges $12.

Could this story really be true? Don't waste your money.............

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[kcredden]

I'm not a bit surpised. But when it comes to non-perscription medical things like diabetic strips. You can't get any discount anywhere, EXCEPT for E-bay. Case in point. 50 strip box of Accu-Chek Active diabetic testing strips though Maysville's Wal-Mart? Year or so ago, about $30 a box. E-bay price? $18 with shipping. I've even gotten them for $12 a box a few times.

Just don't buy them from another country, around December, unless you want to wait 2 months :)

- Kc

[Flame]

The strips I use cost me with my insurance costs me $40. My insulin costs me $60 for a 4 bottles. But let me tell you I was on an antibiotic back in Jan that cost me $100 and my insurance paid $985 of it. Glad I got the insurance.

[Amandaann]

I'm not a bit surpised. But when it comes to non-perscription medical things like diabetic strips. You can't get any discount anywhere, EXCEPT for E-bay. Case in point. 50 strip box of Accu-Chek Active diabetic testing strips though Maysville's Wal-Mart? Year or so ago, about $30 a box. E-bay price? $18 with shipping. I've even gotten them for $12 a box a few times.

Just don't buy them from another country, around December, unless you want to wait 2 months :)

- Kc

Are they safe? I pay $27 for 25 strips. Copay is higher than buying straight out.

[Amandaann]

The strips I use cost me with my insurance costs me $40. My insulin costs me $60 for a 4 bottles. But let me tell you I was on an antibiotic back in Jan that cost me $100 and my insurance paid $985 of it. Glad I got the insurance.

That was robbery which pharmacy???

[kcredden]

So far, so good, Amanda. I wouldn't buy anything like medicine from e-bay but these have been just fine. I use Accu-Check Actives, so your brand might be different. Try them out. A lot of people sell strips on e-bay. I've thought of doing it myself. Also it seems that these strips are international made strips, (I see some from Greece at times.) But they have English instructions on them.

Are they safe? I pay $27 for 25 strips. Copay is higher than buying straight out.

[Amandaann]

Mine it one touch ultra and they are alot cheaper on ebay than what i pay at walmart.