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For almost any medical plan, "mail order pharmacy" specifically refers to a company that provides a 90-day supply of a prescription for a chronic condition at a

For almost any medical plan, "mail order pharmacy" specifically refers to a company that provides a 90-day supply of a prescription for a chronic condition at a special reduced co-pay. Most health plans let you go to the pharmacy of your choice for regular 30-day scripts, but require you to use a single provider (typically either Express Scripts or CVS) to get the 90-day discount. Insurance companies love these services for the same reason we love Amazon -- high volume drives price efficiency, as does eliminating the need for a retail storefront with lights and chairs and Muzak and the like. The retail pharmacy business is a race to the bottom these days. Most small players have been pushed out by declining reimbursement rates, and the big guys barely disguise how little they care about customer service. It's clear that the benefits companies don't want to see another name brand come onto the scene and demand to take some of their profits,especially one with the possibility to gain a loyal national customer base by providing an innovative service.

hga 11y ago
and the big guys barely disguise how little they care about customer service That sure seemed to be my experience with all the little CVS stores I used in the D.C. area in the '90s, but it's not what I see with Wal-Mart in the last decade in the heartland. Of course, Wal-Mart goes for fewer, much bigger stores, and benefits from higher volumes than a small CVS which is often only staffed with one overworked pharmacist (I was always extra careful to check for dispensing errors when using them). As for "race to the bottom", well, it sure looks tough. For example, Target offered upscale pharmacy service, but has given up on doing it themselves in favor of farming that out to CVS. high volume drives price efficiency, as does eliminating the need for a retail storefront with lights and chairs and Muzak and the like. And putting yourself in the likely presence of infectious people or the air they just exhaled is another reason to avoid the retail pharmacy experience if you can.

hga 11y ago

and the big guys barely disguise how little they care about customer service That sure seemed to be my experience with all the little CVS stores I used in the D.C. area in the '90s, but it's not what I see with Wal-Mart in the last decade in the heartland. Of course, Wal-Mart goes for fewer, much bigger stores, and benefits from higher volumes than a small CVS which is often only staffed with one overworked pharmacist (I was always extra careful to check for dispensing errors when using them). As for "race to the bottom", well, it sure looks tough. For example, Target offered upscale pharmacy service, but has given up on doing it themselves in favor of farming that out to CVS. high volume drives price efficiency, as does eliminating the need for a retail storefront with lights and chairs and Muzak and the like. And putting yourself in the likely presence of infectious people or the air they just exhaled is another reason to avoid the retail pharmacy experience if you can.