LINK: Kmart's $15 "90 Day Generics" program; 94 meds in formulary

[ProgressiveEconomist]

This is a post that might save some DUers money.

Since May, Kmart has endeavored to match WalMart's "$4 generic prescriptions" program and to go it one better: WalMart requires customers to pick up their meds in-store in limited locations monthly. Kmart's program entails pick-up of commonly-prescribed dosages of any of 94 meds in its formulary every 3 months, at any of its 11,000 locations. See the Adobe 7.0 PDF link at http://www.musiccitymedical.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=2 for the latest version of the formulary.

Every health plan I've ever been in would allow getting 90 days' worth at a time only through mail order. Does that match your experience? I switched to mail order years ago after I realized all the time I was wasting in long frustrating lines at CVS every month.

Curiously, this "90 Day Generics" information is not on Kmart's website (at https://pharmacy.kmartcorp.com/index.jsp ). But after much googling I found the scan of the physical formulary list document Kmart distributes on its literature tables at the link above. There is no date on either the scan or the physical copies at Kmart. But the PDF link matches what I picked up at my local Kmart yesterday.

I could not read the document in Acrobat 4, but Acrobat Reader 7.0 worked fine.

I could not find an internet link to the glossy "90 Day Generics" Kmart brochure that describes the program's features in idiot-level detail.

IMO, Kmart's program shares most of the limitations and cynical marketing/traffic-generating ploys of WalMart's program--see an excellent archived DU discussion of the WalMart program at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2618856&mesg_id=2618902 .

But I found three out of four of the meds I must take on Kmart's list. I've been paying $25 apiece through my health insurance plan for years. Kmart is going to save me a fair chunk of change; I saved my first $10 yesterday plus $5 with a coupon in Kmart's "Your Pharmacy is Right Here" brochure.

How much would this plan save you? Do you think competition from it might force some even greedier suppliers of meds to change their policies?

[acmejack]

1. It would save me $12

Since only 2 of my meds are on there. The VA won't dispense but in 30 day allotments or if it does it charges at a monthly rate, which is $7 a month. They wanted to raise it to $15/month for anything not service connected so I guess I can't complain! Oh, hell-sure I can...

[patricia92243]

2. Bookmarked - thanks for posting. I would not even know this program existed!! nt

[williesgirl]

3. Thanks for posting - none of mine, but one of my sister's is on it. recommended to spread the word

[Hissyspit]

4. k&r

[formercia]

5. I had my doctor write a 90 day script

for the blood pressure med (Lisinopryl) a couple of months ago. Normally, a 30 day script co-pay would have been $10, but the 90 day was $50, so I saved $10, plus not having to make 2 trips into town. In the Summer it's not such a big deal but Winter in Maine can be a whole different story.

They want to get you in the store.If you're sitting at home, you're not spending money in their establishment.

I don't go to the VA any more. My treatment there was ok, but friends have told me horror stories....

On edit.I checked the Wamart list and they have lisinopryl at a $4 for a 90 day supply. Looks like they have the best price in the area since we don't have a K-mart here. That's a $46 saving.