The Costco Pharmacy is a great option for many people. You can pick up your medications while doing your other shopping. Additionally, they often have very low prices on medications not covered by your insurance. But what about if you do have insurance. Is insurance accepted at Costco Pharmacy? Which insurance does Costco Pharmacy accept?
CMPP: Costco’s Own Prescription Program
The reason it’s difficult to find out about insurance accepted at Costco Pharmacy is because when you try to check for that info on their website, what you’ll find is their own prescription program. This program is not insurance. It’s an insurance alternative. People can use it if they do not have insurance. They can also use it if they have insurance that fails to cover some prescriptions.
The Costco Membership Prescription Program (CMPP) is great for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Costco members and their dependents can enroll in this program at no added charge. You get the lowest possible price on medications for which you aren’t covered under other insurance.
Medicare / Medicaid: NOT Insurance Accepted at Costco Pharmacy
Okay, so even if you’re insured, you can enroll in CMPP. If you do, then you can use your insurance to pick up prescription medications at the Costco Pharmacy when those are covered by your plan. You can also pick up what’s not covered at the Costco Pharmacy using your CMPP enrollment.
However, you are not allowed to enroll in CMPP if your insurance is Medicare or Medicaid. So, there is some insurance accepted at Costco Pharmacy. However, Medicaid isn’t accepted. Are you a Medicare / Medicaid user? If so, one potential way around this to allow you to get your prescriptions at the Costco Pharmacy is through the Single Care prescription discount card. Costco does accept other prescription discount cards (similar to their own CMPP program) and this one works for Medicare / Medicaid patients.
Which Insurance Does Costco Pharmacy Accept?
Okay, so you know that you can use CMPP to get low prices on prescriptions that aren’t covered by your insurance. You also know that as long as you don’t have Medicare / Medicaid, then you can get prescriptions that are covered by your insurance. So which insurance is accepted at Costco Pharmacy?
First Quarter Finance reports that it’s hard to get a clear, direct answer about this due to the following factors:
Accepted insurance varies by region
Costco isn’t allowed to provide a list of accepted insurance for legal reasons
They also report that Costco Pharmacy accepts “most major insurance.” In particular, they accept the most common plans in the store’s region. Moreover, you can ask your specific pharmacy if they accept your insurance and they’re allowed to tell you. Apparently, they just can’t provide a list.
Check With Costco or With Your Insurance Provider
If you have insurance, other than Medicaid, then check with either your Costco Pharmacy or your healthcare provider to find out if your insurance is accepted there. For example, Kaiser Permanent, an insurance provider available in seven states and Washington, DC, specifically includes Costco pharmacies on its list of places where you can pick up your prescriptions.
Are You a Small Business Owner?
If you’re a small business owner as well as a Costco member, then there’s something more you need to know about. It’s called Costco’s CBC Health Insurance Marketplace. As a small business owner, you may have to offer health insurance to your employees. This marketplace provides an option where you can get “big business” prices (discounts) for your small business. You can enroll to get great plans for your employees at a fair cost.
Read More:
Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Can I Use the Costco Pharmacy Without a Membership?
How to Save Money on Prescription Drugs
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