How to calculate annual prescription costs
For each pharmacy, multiply each prescription’s quote by its planned fills during the year. Add those prescription subtotals, the total annual membership fees, and any additional delivery charges.
Annual total = sum of (quote per fill × planned fills) + membership fees + (additional delivery fee × delivery orders)
The monthly figure is the annual total divided by 12. It is an average for planning, not the amount of any particular bill. A positive difference identifies the cheaper quoted scenario; it is not a guarantee of future savings.
A two-prescription example
These are invented quotes to show the arithmetic, not offers from a pharmacy.
| Item | Pharmacy A | Pharmacy B |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription 1 | $15 × 12 = $180 | $36 × 4 = $144 |
| Prescription 2 | $8 × 12 = $96 | $20 × 4 = $80 |
| Annual membership | $0 | $30 |
| Delivery | $0 | $5 × 4 = $20 |
| Annual total | $276 | $274 |
Pharmacy B is $2 lower in this example, despite a $52 difference in prescription subtotals. Membership and shared delivery charges account for $50. This example assumes a pharmacist has confirmed equivalent treatment coverage for both schedules.
Before using the result to switch pharmacies
- Check stock, transfer eligibility, and the final amount with the receiving pharmacy.
- Ask your plan about network status and how your payments affect coverage.
- Include all membership renewals within the comparison year and count shared deliveries once.
- If a prescription changes price partway through the year, enter separate rows for the relevant periods, within the eight-row limit.
How to transfer a prescription · Compare 30-day and 90-day fills · Find a membership break-even point