Q. What can I expect to save with this membership?
A.
Prices will always vary on prescription drugs and therefore it is
impossible to estimate specific dollar savings through any non-insured
drug program. For the most part, the Neighborhood Pharmacy program offers
10% to 60% discounts on acute care medications. Savings can not be
used in conjunction with other discount or insurance cards.
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 76% 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. In order to
guarantee members a savings, we established a mail order pharmacy program
which absolutely, positively guarantees to beat any price quoted elsewhere
by a minimum of $5.00 with no dispensing or postage fees added provided
the brand or generic price exceeds $10.00.
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.
**The Pharmacy Discount Cards ARE NOT INSURANCE, and are
not intended as a substitute for insurance.
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Health Benefits Package
page.