If you take prescription medications, my post today could save you a LOT of money.
I had heard that Costco pharmacists dispense pills for a much lower fee than other Canadian pharmacies—less than $5, versus as much as $12!—but I’m not a Costco member. Honey and I tried the big-box store for a short period, but we found the jumbo sizes too large for just the two of us. And we just seemed to come home poorer, lured into unnecessary consumerism by those giant corridors stacked with fancy hoohahs and geegaws.
But here’s what I just learned: you DON’T have to be a Costco member to buy your drugs there. Apparently, pharmacists are required by law to dispense medications equitably to everyone; to require membership would be discriminatory. Those in the know simply stroll in and advise the Costco greeter/gatekeeper that they are heading to the pharmacy. No problem.
One caveat: non-members can ONLY buy prescriptions at Costco. Over-the-counter medications, vitamin supplements, beauty products, and other items in the pharmacy area are off-limits.
To see just how much you can save on your meds at Costco, check out this comparative table of the dispensing fees of several Victoria-area pharmacies, dated November 2010. Originally published on the Apple a Day Financial website.
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