# State of MD puts up web site to help MD consumers get best deal on prescriptions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-of-md-puts-up-web-site-to-help-md-consumers-get-best-deal-on-prescriptions/242547>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 28, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-of-md-puts-up-web-site-to-help-md-consumers-get-best-deal-on-prescriptions/242547 "2004-04-28T19:41:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-of-md-puts-up-web-site-to-help-md-consumers-get-best-deal-on-prescriptions/242547/1 "2004-04-28T19:41:26Z")

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[Maryland drug pricing database](http://www.oag.state.md.us/Drugprices/index.htm) In trying it out the price variations are pretty astounding for pharmacies in my area.

> [@](#):
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> CMaryland Attorney General Joseph Curran has unveiled a new prescription drug pricing web site. It allows consumers to type in a zip code and find which pharmacy offers the lowest price for their prescription drugs.
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> Among the first of its kind in the country, the website allows consumers to pull up the prices each pharmacy in a designated zip code charges for the drugs they use. In Maryland, almost 700,000 people under 65 have no health insurance at all, and over 220,000 seniors on Medicare have no prescription drug coverage. Curran said he hopes that more transparency in drug pricing will help the uninsured, many of whom pay the highest prices for drugs and can least afford them.
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> “We all know how high prescription drug prices are, and close to one million people in Maryland have no insurance coverage for drugs they depend on,” Curran said. “But most people do not realize that prices can vary widely from store to store, and they can save a lot of money by comparison shopping,” says Curran.
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> The website uses pricing data from pharmacies’ Medicaid reimbursement requests, and it can be updated regularly. It also includes all pharmacies in Maryland. According to Curran, while the size of retail price differentials depends on the individual drug, geographic area, and other factors, sample searches on the website reveal some price variations in excess of $100 for a 30-day supply of a single drug  
> .

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**Author:** ![Skerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skerri)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-of-md-puts-up-web-site-to-help-md-consumers-get-best-deal-on-prescriptions/242547/2 "2004-04-28T22:46:29Z")

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Yeah, but if the company in question didn’t provide a price, there’s nothing to compare it to. Also, ponder this: pharmacies are only paid a percentage of the cost of a medication on Medicaid. The prices are based on submissions to Medicaid. Therefore, you really probably don’t have an accurate guideline, because unscrupulous pharmacies will raise their prices when submitting to Medicaid, hoping to get back more in return. Shady, and illegal, yes, but I’m sure there are some places that do it.

Also, Medicaid in MD is now following a pretty strict formulary. So a lot of drugs won’t be listed, as well.

Hate to burst the bubble, but it’s not as helpful as it seems. Your best best to find your prescriptions at a good price is to comparison shop. And don’t be afraid to check out mom’n’pop stores. Just because they aren’t giant facilities doesn’t mean they don’t get their drugs from the same place as Wal-Mart or Target, therefore making the playing field a little more even.