Are Prescription Prices Cheaper at Walmart or Walgreen's?

Finding low-priced prescriptions is becoming a little easier since a few major pharmacy retailers have developed a list of popular lower priced prescription drug options. With prices soaring higher than ever on just about everything, it is important to save whenever possible, and taking advantage of lower priced prescription drugs can save a considerable amount of money. Consider the following information that compares Walmart prescription drug prices to Walgreen's prescription drug prices before deciding that one pharmacy is cheaper than another. Even when prescriptions are priced seemingly low, it pays to compare prices, and you might be surprised by which pharmacy is truly cheaper.

The Price of Compazine at Walmart

I was recently prescribed Compazine for severe nausea and vomiting brought on by herniated discs in my neck, and I had no idea how much this 20 pill prescription would cost. The company that my husband is employed with provides the first $2,000 toward the deductible, and even though this sounds good we pay a huge premium for insurance that is just about useless for anything less than a major problem. Each week $127 is deducted from my husband's pay for a dental plan and over-priced medical insurance with a $6,000 deductible. Once the initial $2,000 the company kicks in is gone, it is up to my husband and I to pay the rest of the deductible before the insurance will cover anything. I knew I had to pay for the prescription I needed, and I decided it was in my best interest to shop around and compare prices before deciding where to go.

I began by calling Walmart, and I did my best to decipher the notation the doctor had quickly scribbled. Surprisingly my medication was on the $4.00 list. Our insurance would not cover the cost of any further prescriptions until I met their ridiculously high deductible, and this was a price I did not mind paying. I planned on having it filled the next time I shopped at Walmart.

The Price of the Same Prescription at Walgreen's

Before going to Walmart I ended up at Walgreen's for an annual flu shot, and while I was there I decided to inquire about the price of my prescription for Compazine. The technician was not able to simply give me a price. I had to register as if I were planning on buying the prescription, even though I figured it would cost more than I wanted to pay. Registering at Walgreen's took several minutes, but it was worth the wait. I found out the prescription that would have cost $4.00 at Walmart was only $2.79 at Walgreen's. Although this is not a huge savings, it was enough to buy a loaf of bread.

Which Pharmacy Really Is Cheaper?

The price of the medication I needed was cheaper at Walgreen's, but Walgreen's is not always cheaper than Walmart. I had a prescription for Prednisone that was $4.00 at Walmart and over twice the price at Walgreen's. I opted to wait and fill it at Walmart. Walgreen's was cheaper on one of my prescriptions, but just like Walmart, they are not always cheaper.

When trying to combat the rising costs of health insurance as well as everything else, it really does pay to shop around for prescription medications. A few dollars saved by shopping at Walmart pharmacy or Walgreen's pharmacy can add up to a significant amount each year. Since the prices of prescriptions vary from medication to medication, call Walgreen's and Walmart each time you are given a new prescription to fill. Comparing prices is the only way to find out which pharmacy is truly cheaper.