[US] I compared prescription prices across every platform for the same 3 generic meds. The results surprised me. Idea Validation

I’m a pharmacist and I got curious about actual pricing differences across platforms.

I looked up 3 of the most common chronic medications:

∙	Levothyroxine 100mcg (thyroid) - 365 tablets

∙	Lisinopril 20mg (blood pressure) - 365 tablets

∙	Metformin 1000mg (blood sugar) - 730 tablets

12-MONTH SUPPLY COSTS:

CVS/Walgreens: $1,020 (12 monthly refills)

Costco (cash): $156 (4 refills, membership required)

Walmart $4 List: $216 (12 refills)

GoodRx: $216 (12 refills, varies by pharmacy)

CostPlus Drugs: $151 ($91 meds + $60 fees, 4 refills)

Amazon Pharmacy: $180 (4 refills, Prime shipping)

True wholesale + minimal dispensing: ~$78 meds + ~$30 fees = $108

WHAT SURPRISED ME:

The price difference is huge, but what really got me thinking was the refill hassle.

Even at Costco’s $156/year, you still need to:

∙	Remember to refill 4 times per year

∙	Drive to the store or wait for shipping

∙	Risk running out if you forget

∙	Deal with “it’s not ready yet” situations

Same with CostPlus and Amazon - better prices, but still quarterly refills.

MY QUESTION:

If someone offered wholesale pricing (~$108 for these 3 meds) but charged a convenience fee to handle everything and ship once per year instead of 4-12 times…

What would you be willing to pay for that convenience?

∙	$20/year extra?

∙	$50/year extra?

∙	$100/year extra?

∙	Nothing - I’d rather save money and handle refills myself

Genuinely curious how people value the time/mental energy saved.

Also curious:

∙	How many chronic meds do you take?

∙	Do you actually find refills annoying, or am I overthinking this?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​