Tom Sengupta, pharmacist at Schneider Drug
A recent story on PBS made it pretty clear to me that you ought to check out your local mom and pop pharmacy before going to a big chain drugstore or an online pharmacy. Not only might you find better drug prices, but you could also be supporting the business of someone who really cares about you. I’m talking about people like Tom Sengupta, a pharmacist at Schneider Drug in Minnesota, who puts patients before maximizing profits, unlike some of the big pharmacy corporations.
Carol Thompson used to pay over $400 for a brand name drug, but once it went generic the price plummeted to $10 at her local Costco. That’s what we’ve come to except and need from our generic medication: much lower prices. Curious about prices at other pharmacies, Ms. Thompson called around and found some other pharmacies were charging about $400!
Mr. Sengupta is not the kind of guy who would charge you $400 for a generic medication. He explains that big chain pharmacies often determine drug prices for generics by simply charging less than the brand name drug, rather than a small mark-up from the wholesale drug price of the generic, like Schneider Drug does. Sometimes their pricing can even depend on the circumstances of the individual buying. Mr. Sengupta says: “My pricing is based on the person I’m talking to. You know, because if they need something, this is my responsibility to provide that to them. I’m not losing any money.”
Schneider Drug
PBS reported that Schneider Drug charges $14 for 30 pills of Letrozole 2.5mg. We just placed a phone call to a “local” chain pharmacy and they quoted a price of $599 – over 4,000% higher! Outraged by the pricing policies of some big chain pharmacies, Mr. Sengupta stated: “How could you justify that? You know? If you had any morality – we don’t need to make money like that. We have to ask, what’s happening? Where is their moral compass?”
So next time you have to fill a script check out your local independent pharmacy’s price. And if you’re visiting the Twin Cities and need a prescription medication, pay a visit to Mr. Sengupta!
The large chains price their prescriptions for maximum billing to insurance companies. They can’t offer a lower cash price or else PBM software will detect it and they will be audited for the difference on every rx they filled at the higher price. This practice really puts the screws to seniors on Medicare part D because the higher billed amount pushes them into the donut hole faster where they are charged the same ridiculous amount when having to pay full price. Unfortunately, the public is little aware of the pricing practices of the corporate behemoths and continue to feed the monster while independent stores are becoming fewer and fewer.
will like to have email of Mr Sengupta to extend my good wishes personally
I would love to be able to shop around! My insurance has found increasing ways to lock me into CVS/Caremark-if I want to use it. I was forced to quit using a grocery store pharmacy that I have used for 25 years due to this issue.
I am NOT happy to be forced to use a particular pharmacy, especially that one!