It pays to shop around! This helps to solve the mystery as to why they can afford to put a Walgreen's on every corner. On Monday night, Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for Channel 7 News in Detroit , did a story on generic drug prices gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation that some of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. So often we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves. For example if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills.
The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are saving $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only cost him $10!
At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs.
I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug, and get its online price. It says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just to give you one example from my own experience I had to use the drug Compazine which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients.
I used the generic equivalent, which cost $54.99 for 60 pills at CVS. I checked the price at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $19.89. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid $72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.
I would like to mention, that although Costco is a 'membership' type store, you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there as it is a federally regulated substance. You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in.
I am asking each of you to please help me by copying this letter, and passing it into your own e-mail, and send it to everyone you know with an e-mail address.
Sharon L. Davis
Budget Analyst
U.S. Department of Commerce
Room 6839
Office Ph: 202-482-4458
Office Fax: 202-482-5480
E-mail Address:sdavis@doc.gov
4 comments:
Many residents, including those who rose to speak at the City Council’s Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee meeting Tuesday, have spoken out against the proposed plan to locate a Costco store on Route 71.
Their message, our writer noted, was that the jobs and tax breaks Costco would bring would not be worth destruction of wooded land.
They are referring to Costco’s prediction that the completed project would result in 300 construction jobs, more than 200 permanent jobs that pay an average of $20 an hour, and $475,000 in yearly tax benefits to the city. It would, however, require building on land that now includes three holes at Stanley Golf Course. Those holes would be moved across the street to a now-wooded area of A.W. Stanley Park — at Costco’s expense.
Frankly, we like nature as much as the next person, but we couldn’t help wondering if these Friends of A.W. Stanley Park spoke for the more than 12 percent of local workers who haven’t been able to find a job in the last 27 months. Or the taxpayers who repeatedly say they can’t afford a mil rate hike, even if it means laying off 80 teachers. Or the children who will try to learn in crowded classrooms once their teachers are gone.
Certainly, they are not speaking for a city facing a financial crisis.
The day is here when the helping hands that have repeatedly reached out to the city in the form of state and federal aid have dried up. New Britain now has to become self-sufficient — or die.
City leaders are at a crossroads where they must choose to take the steps needed to rebuild a once-great community, even if it means calling on citizens to make sacrifices, or see a further exodus of the middle-class, as our schools deteriorate.
Like the move that brought Celebration Foods to New Britain, the Costco proposal is an important step in helping the city to stand on its own two feet, as well as to prove to employers that New Britain welcomes business and is willing to lend a hand in creating much-needed jobs.
Recently, New Britain Chamber of Commerce President William Millerick reminded us that, when Celebration Foods held a job fair, it attracted 1,400 people for 225 jobs.
That left 1,175 still unemployed.
Then, pointing to Costco, Millerick added, “These opportunities don’t come often.”
When they do, the city — leaders and residents alike — should welcome them.
As far as I am concerned this is a no brainer. I love Costco's store. I have been traveling to Waterbury for many years.
I buy gasolene there, as well as drugs, food, books and all kinds of supplies.
It will save on our taxes, create jobs and make long time tax payers like me very happy. Let the tree huggers find another place for their "supposed" walks! NB is full of parks.
Frank:
I still believe thatthis issue and the issue of inexpensive meds are one in the same. Mr. Smith still needs to separate these issues. One is a Herald editorial and the other refers to citizen comments.
The best part of all is they are non-union!
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