More Free Medicine Across America…So Merry Christmas
2015 is drawing to a close, a year that the Chicago Tribune is calling “the year of drug price outrage.” Right now many American consumers are struggling to pay for their medication and not feeling a lot of holiday cheer.
We mentioned last week, some pharmacies are actually giving away select medications for free. Publix is one place where you can get medications such as Amlodipine, Lisinopril and Metformin for free. Unfortunately, Publix stores are located only in the Southeast United States. What if you live in some other state? Last week we said we’d come back to you with more reporting on this free medicine business in 2016 – but we couldn’t wait to start.
If you live in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia or Maryland, you might live near a Giant Eagle Supermarket. Giant Eagle offers free antibiotics such as Amoxicillin, Cephalexin and Ciprofloxacin. You just need to sign up for their “Giant Eagle Advantage” discount card.
Folks in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky who shop at Meijer Stores can get the diabetes drug Metformin, the cholesterol medication Atorvastatin, pre-natal vitamins or a 14-day supply of antibiotic free.
As for the Northeast, ShopRite Markets in New York and New Jersey has a free 30-day supply of diabetes medication. And Price Chopper (found in Upstate New York and New England) is another chain whose pharmacies offer free antibiotics and free diabetes medications (Glimepiride, Glipizide and Metformin).
Pharmacists at these stores don’t wear red suits and hand out presents, and yes, these programs exist to bring in customers who will fill other prescriptions and spend money on impulse items, like holiday candy and last-minute gifts. But hey, I’d like to think these companies genuinely care about their customers’ well-being and that they believe it’s important to give as well as receive. So Merry Christmas from PharmacyChecker!
I’m talking about super-sized supermarket Publix, which operates over 1000 stores throughout the Southeastern U.S. Sure, it’s not the only superstore to offer this but I happened to come across its 