Save Money By Using a CHI Pharmacy

pharmacyThere are a few things you can do at the start of each year to ensure you’re getting the most out of your prescription drug benefit.

  • Save money by using a CHI pharmacy. Our pharmacy plan benefit has two levels, filling prescriptions at a CHI owned pharmacy (see CHI Pharmacy List on the well-being page) and filling prescriptions at a CVS/Caremark network pharmacy. This network has 68,000 retail pharmacies, including Walgreens, Meijer and Walmart as well as local independent pharmacies. To locate a CHI Pharmacy or a CVS Caremark pharmacy near you, visit the Pharmacy Plan page (see CHI Pharmacy List & CVS Caremark Pharmacy Locator in the Related Tools box). To review the CVS/Caremark pharmacies, select the CVS Caremark Pharmacy locator. You can search by zip code or by city and state.
  • Varying Prices. Prices may vary at different pharmacies based on pricing arrangements with retail pharmacies. Prescription drug coverage and pricing may change from year to year as some drugs move on or off the formulary drug list. Compare costs with the CVS/Caremark Prescription Pricing Tool on the Pharmacy Plan page. (Click on “What’s Covered? Check the Formulary Drug List.” The tool is located on the right-hand side under Caremark Prescription Pricing Tool.)
  • Check that your medication is on the 2018 Formulary Drug List. Our Pharmacy Plan has 3 tiers of benefits, Generic, Brand Formulary, and Brand Non-Formulary. The cost you pay depends on which tier of the formulary drug list the medication is listed. Look through the latest listing on the Pharmacy Plan page (see Formulary Drug List in the Related Tools box).
  • Find out if an alternative medication could save you money. Compare your medication costs by using the Caremark Prescription Pricing Tool on the Pharmacy Plan page. (Click on “What’s Covered? Check the Formulary Drug List.” The tool is located on the right-hand side under Caremark Prescription Pricing Tool.) If you find an alternative medication, talk to your doctor to see if a change would be right for you.

As you refill your prescriptions, keep these money-saving tips in mind:

  • Maintenance Medications. You can fill your maintenance medications (such as cholesterol or blood pressure medicine) at a retail location up to three fills/times before you have to use CVS/Caremark’s mail order pharmacy or a CHI-owned retail/mail order pharmacy. Using mail-order saves you both time and money! (The maintenance medication mail requirement doesn’t apply to employees in the Fargo Division.)
  • Contraceptive Coverage. Contraceptive coverage isn’t through the CHI Medical Plan if you’re located at one of CHI’s non-profit organizations. Instead, it’s covered by CVS/Caremark directly. You can receive more information and get your separate contraceptive ID card by calling CVS/Caremark at 1-888-924-8738.