News Story - Costs Can Vary By $100 or More for Same Drugs

Costs Can Vary By $100 or More for Same Drugs

MONDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Prices of prescription drugs can
vary by $100 or more for the same drug from store to store -- and even
within the same chain. So it pays to shop around, a new survey found.

But the survey also found that consumers are less likely to consult
with pharmacists about the drugs they're using than they were in the
past, which can lead to serious consequences in terms of drug
interactions.

"More people are paying a higher percentage of out-of-pocket expenses
for their prescriptions than they did in 2002," said Tod Marks, senior
editor at Consumer Reports magazine, which conducted the survey.

"In our survey, we found that there was a significant price
difference, not only for the same drug at different stores, but there
were price differences within the same chain and the online price,"
Marks said. "Sometimes those prices can be significantly different."

The findings were published in the June issue of Consumer Reports.

For the survey, the magazine called 163 pharmacies nationwide to
determine price differences for four prescription drugs -- three name
brand medicines and one generic.

The price for a three-month supply of the urinary incontinence drug
Detrol ranged from $365 to $551. The price for Plavix, a drug that
prevents blood clots, ranged from $382 to $541. Prices for Levoxyl, a
treatment for hypothyroidism, varied from $29 to $85. And the costs
for the generic osteoporosis drug alendronate ranged from $124 to
$306, the survey found.

Costco was the cheapest source for the four drugs, while Walgreens and
Rite-Aid were among the most expensive, according to the survey.

The survey also found that consumers shouldn't rule out independent
drug stores -- while they may not be the cheapest, their prices are
competitive, and they offer top service.

"A lot of people have the assumption that independent drug stores are
expensive," Marks said. "In many cases, they were not the cheapest
overall, but we did find a significant number of mom-and-pops that
were highly competitive."

Consumers should also ask their employers about pharmacy benefit
managers (PBMs), which can offer substantially lower prices and co-
payments, Marks said.

Marks also recommended buying generic drugs because they can cost up
to 50 percent less than their brand-name equivalents. And consumers
should look for store discount programs that can lower the cost of
prescription medications for those without drug insurance, he said.

In another part of the survey, Consumer Reports questioned 40,133
readers about their drugstore experiences. Among the findings: People
asked pharmacists for advice on prescription drugs just 38 percent of
the time.

That's down from 50 percent since the last survey in 2002, Marks said,
adding, "That's a pretty significant shift in the consumer-pharmacist
relationship."

That's a worrisome trend, Marks said, because one-third of U.S. adults
take five or more prescription medicines or supplements. And some 18
million people end up in hospital emergency room's each year because
of medication errors, he said.

"Consumers should consult with their pharmacists, whether they're
taking prescription drugs or even over-the-counter stuff, because
people think they're innocent, but the fact of the matter is they can
have serious ramifications," he said.

Marks noted that independent and chain drug stores both ranked high in
consumer approval. Independent local pharmacies often ranked higher in
personal service, compared with chain pharmacies, where consumers
often experience longer waits, he said.

Pharmacies within supermarkets were rated high for convenience, Marks
said. "One of the nice things about supermarket pharmacies is that
they tend not to be as crowded as the big chains," he said.

Among mass-market retailers, Kmart and Shopko came out on top in terms
of drug prices, Marks said. Wal-Mart and Target got high ratings for
offering cheap generic drugs, he said.

A representative of the pharmacy industry said the reasons for the
price variance between stores are likely to be complex.

"In any market, there is a price variation," said Chrissy Kopple, vice
president of media relations at the National Association of Chain Drug
Stores, based in Alexandria, Va. "As a trade association, we cannot
comment in great detail on prescription drug pricing due to anti-trust
issues. However as is the case with any business, many factors play
roles in pricing decisions, including costs, business strategy and
local competition," she said.

For more on comparing drug prices, visit:

http://www.consumerreports.org/healt...are_prices.htm