Dear US Grocery store chains (and you know who you are)
Please take note: while the health care system in the UK is still warped in its own special way, folks still struggle to pay for perscription drugs and pharmacies still line up with hands out to collect pretty pennies from wanna-be mamas goign through IVF.
What I don't see happening in the US is this announcement made yesterday inthe UK.
"A supermarket chain is to sell fertility drugs without profit, claiming it will save patients hundreds of pounds per treatment.
Asda said the decision was part of a move to establish itself as the most competitive pharmacy in the UK.
The retailer's own research found 63% of people were unaware that private prescription prices varied between pharmacies, with the majority of customers (76%) going to the same pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. It found 92% of people had never compared the prices of private prescription drugs."
So, kudos to Asda for its gift to its customers, and as a gentle reminder to US readers, prices between pharmacies can differ as much as 30%. Check every single prescription you purchase - whether for fertility or not, to make sure you are getting the best price.
I often find that making 15 minutes of calls easily saves 10-15%. I write down my findings in a computer file, then save it for future reference.
Asda Pharmacy will charge £1,171.41 for drugs to accompany one IVF cycle, saving up to £820 compared with other high street pharmacies, it claimed.
Currently 71% of primary care trusts (PCTs) offer one or two free IVF treatment cycles, with thousands of women going on to pay for at least one more cycle.
