Just in time for the 2011 open enrollment period, UnitedHealth Group Inc. has announced that it will allow its AARP MedicareRx and AARP MedicareComplete Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan participants to purchase 30-day supplies of many generic drugs from Kroger and Safeway chain stores for just $2; 90-day supplies may cost just $4. Between these two pharmacy groups, 397 generic drugs are covered in the program, and both chain stores offer the program via mail-order pharmacy (Prescription Solutions) as well.
Simvastatin, the generic for Zocor – a cholesterol lowering drug, and Metoprolol succinate, the generic of the high blood pressure drug Toprol, are just two of many $2 drugs found on the monthly supply list. You can find a 90-day supply of Ibuprofren 400 – 800mg for just $5. To see which other generics are listed, visit the Pharmacy Saver information and search page.
Representatives of UnitedHealth, “the largest U.S. managed-care company by revenue and largest Medicare Advantage plan concern by membership”, say the plan is not meant to compete with other low-priced options (like the Humana/Wal-mart prescription-drug plan, which offers the lowest Medicare Part D premiums) but to help consumers afford necessary and sometimes life-saving prescription drugs. Just like CostCo, Wal-mart, Target and Walgreen’s, the Kroger/Safeway generic program sheds light on the incredible discrepancy between brand and generic pricing, and it helps alleviate the heavy burden of drug costs for America’s seniors.
On the other hand, Pharmacy Saver’s $2 generic program will not benefit all. If your drug is not accounted for in the 397 listed at Kroger and Safeway, if you only take brand name drugs, or if you don’t live near, or have easy access to a Safeway or a Kroger, the plan obviously is not your best bet for Part D.
While the Pharmacy Saver plan is brand new to 2011, you can still check out the preexisting AARP Medicare plans, and other Medicare drug plans, on MedicareDrugPlans.com. Here you can compare costs and read other’s plan ratings, plus leave your own reviews or participates in forums.
