medical coverage

[ogar]

What is the name of your state?michigan

 

[ogar]

my wife works for a large well known chain store, she is being told that she must use that stores pharmacy or she will have to pay full price for our sons prescription. I find it hard to believe that this is legal. Is it legal ,can an employer dictate with pharmacy you can use???

 

[quincy]

If the chain store pharmacy gives a prescription discount to employees, I am not sure why you wouldn't want to take advantage of that benefit.

Of course you can get your prescriptions filled wherever you want to, but it can be smart to call and compare costs. Drug companies often "pair" with certain pharmacies and these pharmacies will offer lower cost.

For a Michigan example: At Meijer's pharmacies, you can get amoxicillin for free whereas it can be expensive at other pharmacies. At Walmart pharmacies, you get a better price on insulin.

The pharmacy is your choice but, because drugs can be costly, it pays to shop around.

 

[eerelations]

OP, I'm having a little trouble understanding your issue. Are you saying that you would rather your wife's employer didn't offer her this opportunity to save money?

 

[cbg]

Your wife's employer is not dictating what pharmacy she can use; they are explaining the terms under which she is eligible for a discount. There is nothing even remotely illegal about that.

It's no different than a HMO plan "dictating" what doctors you can use. Perfectly legal.

 

[justalayman]

Is it legal ,can an employer dictate with pharmacy you can use???

They are doing no such thing. All they are doing is telling you at what pharmacy you will recieve a discounted price based on her employment. They do not have to subsidize the cost at any other pharmacy. It is an employee benefit.

If this is based on insurance coverage, refer to the policy to determine if the insurance offers subsidies at any other pharmacy.