This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I’ve shopped at Walgreens quite a lot over the last few years, and even have an entire category devoted to them on Super Coupon Girl. I have also used their pharmacy before, because I wanted to utilize a coupon I had that offered a free $25 Walgreens gift card when you filled a prescription. If you are also a Walgreens customer that fills prescriptions at their pharmacy, you may be affected by a recent change in certain health care plans which means that some customers will no longer be able to fill their prescriptions at Walgreens.
This change is due to a dispute between Walgreens and Express Scripts. Express Scripts essentially acts as a middleman between pharmacies and insurance plans. Walgreens and Express Scripts were due to renew their contract with one another, but negotiations fell through and Walgreens is no longer a part of the Express Scripts network as of January 1st, 2012. What this means for customers is that anyone with a prescription insurance plan managed through Express Scripts will no longer be able to fill their RX at Walgreens. Many customers are unhappy about this change, with 250,000 customers of the Department of Defense Tricare pharmacy benefits program – which Express Scripts manages – signing a petition asking Express Scripts to allow them access to Walgreens pharmacies once again. Tricare serves U.S. military personnel, family members, and retirees.
If you fill your prescriptions at Walgreens, check with your local pharmacy or look at the back of your prescription insurance card to find out if your plan is managed by Express Scripts. What can you do if you are impacted by this change? The Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens offers discount pricing on medications for qualifying members. Because of the change with Express Scripts, Walgreens are offering a reduction on membership fees through the end of this month, with an individual annual membership costing $5 and a family plan costing $10 per year. If you would like to keep your prescription at Walgreens, this Savings Club could be something to look into and compare. Walgreens is also encouraging customers who are dissatisfied with this change to contact their local media and voice their unhappiness. You can keep up to date with the latest developments by following Walgreens on Twitter and becoming a fan of Walgreens on Facebook.
I hate all the new insurance laws and policies that have came into effect with the new year. Thanks for sharing this information.
I heard about this, thank you for sharing! I have zero insurance, so I don’t’ even go to the doctors unless I really have to then it’s an ER trip. Luckily the pharmacy I use is really affordable for my RX if I end up needing one.
We are on tricare, but since we live right next to the base right now we just fill our prescriptions at the base medical center. That will likely change next year when we live elsewhere, though. Thanks for the heads up on this.
I’m switching insurances soon and I don’t know what new hoops i will have to jump through!
We are also switching insurances soon. We have a Walgreen right near us so I thank you for the information!
Unfortunately I can’t afford health insurance so prescriptions (and doctor visits) don’t exist for me. But this is great info for those that do!