Can I Go to My Regular Pharmacy to get my Medication?
Each health plan allows you to get your medications from different approved pharmacies called in-network pharmacies.
To find out what pharmacies are considered in-network, you can call your insurance company using the number on the back of your card or visit your insurer’s website.
If you have a particular pharmacy that you like to go to, you should check to see if it is an in-network pharmacy, ideally before you submit a medication to be filled at that location. If it is not in-network you can select one that is.
If you still choose to go to an out of network pharmacy, you will be subject to extra costs and in some cases will be asked to pay the full amount if your insurance does not offer any out of network benefits. Network is can change throughout the year, so your current pharmacy may not be still in the network next time you visit.
One thing that can be surprising to many is that all in-network pharmacies will not charge the same for the same medication. Just like the prices can vary for a specific TV at different stores, your medications can also be cheaper or more expensive in some locations.
Tip: Sometimes a pharmacy will tell you they “can accept your prescription”. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are considered in-network for your plan. What they may mean is that they can fill it, but you would pay the full cost without insurance support. It’s ultimately up to you to verify with the insurer if the pharmacy is within its network list.
