6 Good Reasons to Buy Your Prescriptions at Costco Pharmacy

When people need to fill prescriptions, they often default to one of the big pharmacy chains, such as Walgreens or CVS. You may have an alternative, and possibly better, option -- your local Costco pharmacy or Costco.com. If you haven't tried getting your medications there yet, here are the best reasons to buy your prescriptions at Costco Pharmacy.

1. It has some of the lowest prices on prescriptions

Costco's known for its low prices, and that includes low prices on prescriptions. In fact, a 2018 analysis by Consumer Reports found that Costco Pharmacy had some of the cheapest prices compared to other drugstores.

Consumer Reports had secret shoppers call more than 150 drugstores to compare prices for five commonly prescribed generic drugs. At Walgreens, these five drugs cost a total of $752. At CVS, they were even more expensive, at $928. Costco offered those same five drugs for just $105. It's worth comparing prices at Costco to your current pharmacy to see if making a change could be better for your finances.

2. You don't need a Costco membership

Most of Costco's services are off limits if you're not a member. That's not the case with its pharmacy, which is open to non-members. Even without a Costco membership, you can fill your prescriptions at its in-warehouse pharmacies and online.

3. Get your prescriptions delivered to your door

One of the only disadvantages of Costco as a pharmacy is the fact that it has far fewer locations than the competition. For example, if we compare Costco and Walgreens, there are over 580 Costco stores in the United States, compared to well over 9,000 Walgreens locations.

But you don't need to go into Costco to fill your prescription. You can also place orders online for delivery by mail anywhere in the United States. Standard USPS shipping is free and gets your order delivered in six to 14 days. If you need it more quickly, Costco offers two-day and three-day shipping options with UPS for an additional delivery charge.

4. You can pick up pet medications, too

If you're a dog or cat owner, you can also get your pet's prescriptions at Costco. With any current prescription, just bring it to your local Costco pharmacy to have it transferred over from your veterinarian. With new prescriptions, you can have your vet call Costco, fax it over, or write it for you.

5. Save more by joining the Costco Member Prescription Program

If you're either uninsured or your insurance doesn't cover all your prescriptions, the Costco Member Prescription Program could be a big help. It allows you to get lower prices on your prescriptions, with estimated savings of 2% to 40%. It's available to Costco members for no additional charge.

Your eligible dependents with no prescription insurance can also join. And Costco even allows you to list your pet as an eligible dependent for savings on their medications, too.

6. Make orders easier with the auto refill program

To make it easier to keep your prescriptions on schedule, Costco offers an auto refill reminder program. You can set up the prescriptions you want to automatically refill online on Costco's website. You must have a valid credit card on file to use the auto refill service. If you shop at Costco often, getting the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a good choice.

Costco will send you an email before refills are processed in its system to comply with state and federal regulations. You have 72 hours to provide positive confirmation. Once you do, your prescription will be filled.

For deciding where to buy your prescriptions, the most important factors are price and convenience. Costco excels in both areas. It offers reasonable prices, especially compared to the competition. It's also a breeze to order your prescriptions online or at a Costco pharmacy and get them delivered. And while most of Costco's benefits are for members only, anyone can take advantage of shopping at Costco Pharmacy.