Statement from Chris Savarese, Director of Rite Aid Public Relations:
“We believe that informal pricing surveys like this one are too small to draw meaningful
conclusions about which pharmacies offer the best overall service offerings and value. They
oftentimes also don’t take into account the discount and third-party insurance programs that are
available to patients.”
Statement from Amy Lanctot, Senior Manager of CVS Health Public Relations:
At CVS Pharmacy, we recognize that medication costs are a concern for patients. In fact, 50%
of the prescriptions we fill in our stores cost patients $4 or less, and 75% cost patients $10 or
less. For patients paying for prescriptions without health insurance, there are various value and
discount programs available. CVS Pharmacy accepts most prescription discount cards that are
on the market.
We make every effort to ensure our retail prices for prescription drugs are competitive.
Generally speaking, our retail prices for prescriptions are in line with or less expensive than
those of our major retail pharmacy competitors. In fact, our retail price for the medication in
question is significantly less than what Rite Aid and Walgreens charge for the same drug. Due
to varying business models and operational costs, there may be greater price differences for
some medications between a retail pharmacy such as CVS Pharmacy and other types of
businesses that operate pharmacies, such as warehouse stores.
Also, last year we implemented a comprehensive approach to help patients save money on their
prescription medications, including an ​Rx Savings Finder service​ in our retail pharmacies
through which our pharmacists can evaluate prescription savings opportunities for individual
patients right at the pharmacy counter. CVS Pharmacy’s Rx Savings Finder enables our
pharmacists to quickly and seamlessly review a patient's prescription regimen, medication
history, and insurance plan information to determine the best way for them to save money on
out-of-pocket costs, with the primary goal of helping the patient find the lowest cost alternative
under their pharmacy benefits plan.
Statement from Alex Brown, Walgreens Corporate Media Relations:
It’s important to note that an extremely small percentage of our patients’ prescriptions are
purchased at cash prices. To assist patients who may not have insurance, our Prescription
Savings Club offers savings on more than 8,000 brand and generic medications. More
information on this can be found​ here​. We also accept all other major discount program cards.
When choosing a pharmacy, we encourage patients to select one that offers the best value
based on pricing and also the services available – such as participation in government plans,
24/7 convenience and services that can accommodate immediate prescription drug needs. It’s
also important for patients to use a single pharmacy so that pharmacists can monitor their
medications and avoid potential drug interactions.