“Delivery services work in one of two ways,” says Janet Alvarez, executive editor at Wise Bread. “The first is they can be affiliated with your pharmacy: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, grocery store pharmacies—any of these now have drug delivery services.” Going with a trusted pharmacy to deliver the drugs to you so you don’t have to spend time making a regular trip and waiting in line is a great way to start. You already trust your local pharmacy, and now they’re happy to bring you your order and save you a trip. “But then there are also some online pharmacies that purport to cut out the middlemen and give lower prices direct-to-consumer,” Alvarez says. This is where things become fuzzy. You’ll want to vet your online pharmacy for safety, prices, and whether they’re covered by your insurance company. “Not all forms of insurance necessarily cover all online pharmacies,” Alvarez says. “They will typically cover online programs offered by your traditional companies, but they may not necessarily cover the delivery costs.” While shipping costs are usually nominal, a regular $5 to $10 fee could negate the convenience if you’re on a tight budget. Look for sites that offer free shipping or free shipping on minimum purchases. GetMyRx is a pharmacy on demand service that fills and delivers your prescriptions by finding a local pharmacy that can provide the prescription the same day. It works with most insurance plans as well as Medicare, and doesn’t charge you for the services. If you’re worried about whether a site you’re using is legitimate, smart shopping expert Trae Bodge suggests checking the URL for “https” at the beginning of the address. The “s” means it’s a secure site when it comes to the financials, and that’s a good place to start. Ramzi Yacoub, Chief Pharmacy Officer at SingleCare, also suggests sticking to companies within the U.S. to ensure their products and methods have been FDA approved. “There are options to save money on 90 days scripts vs. 30 days,” Yacoub says. “The one drawback is you’re going to pay more money upfront.” Kate Ashford, a Medicare specialist at Nerdwallet, says to check with your insurance first to see if these services are actually covered. “Most insurance plans offer a mail-order pharmacy option that allows you to order 90 days of regular medication at a time,” she says. “If you’re on regular year-round prescriptions, this can save you money.” Plus, when you automate a delivery schedule, you won’t have to worry about forgetting a refill and going with your meds. Bodge also suggests using drug delivery programs that charge shipping fees only for the medications you know you’ll be taking long term. If it’s something temporary, like an antibiotic, she says it’s likely cheaper to pick it up in person when you need it. “Package theft can be a concern,” Alvarez says. “Be sure to track your medication, and if it hasn’t arrived within the guaranteed window, contact your pharmacy if you believe it was either lost in transit or stolen.” If you are worried about having packages stolen, see about having them delivered to a more secure location such as your workplace or a P.O. Box.
