Safeway Pharmacy ordered to stop Air Miles reward program

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Weitz

It's so silly. The Pharmacists don't care about "abuse" they just care that people would rather go to where they get the rewards and probably cheaper prices too.

Capitalism: Competition breeds innovation until the competition whines about the innovation and gets it banned.

[stevinder]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Insurance Companies must hate these reward programs.

You pay an extra bit of money at Safeway, but get a crazy amount of Airmiles.
The insurance company has to pay 80% or more of the total cost, as is essentially paying the pharmacy a whole bunch more to give you a bunch of Air Miles.

Luckily, I have 100% coverage and receive about 112 AirMiles each time I get my meds which is 4 times a year.

[Sr. Mints]

Glad to hear this.

So medications/prescriptions-wise, what's the secret to racking up big Airmiles at Safeway? I have about 200,000 Shopper's Optimum points--again--and nothing to spend them on--again.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Glad to hear this.

So medications/prescriptions-wise, what's the secret to racking up big Airmiles at Safeway? I have about 200,000 Shopper's Optimum points--again--and nothing to spend them on--again.

Have children with a combined $500/month drug habit?

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Glad to hear this.

So medications/prescriptions-wise, what's the secret to racking up big Airmiles at Safeway? I have about 200,000 Shopper's Optimum points--again--and nothing to spend them on--again.

$2600 per infusion meds ought to do it. You can donate your Optimum points to me, if you want.

[me_dennis]

so which pharmacies are the cheapest? i've heard costco, but that isn't really close to me.
My drug plan only covers 80% of the "reasonable" price. I usually just go to the closest pharmacy, and they charge more than the "reasonable" price, so I end up paying quite a bit out of pocket.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Glad to hear this.

So medications/prescriptions-wise, what's the secret to racking up big Airmiles at Safeway? I have about 200,000 Shopper's Optimum points--again--and nothing to spend them on--again.

Playstation? Games? Controllers?

[GGG]

I wonder if the legislation and powers given to the colleges of pharmacy in each province are different enough that the rulings would be different.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Insurance Companies must hate these reward programs.

You pay an extra bit of money at Safeway, but get a crazy amount of Airmiles.
The insurance company has to pay 80% or more of the total cost, as is essentially paying the pharmacy a whole bunch more to give you a bunch of Air Miles.

The thing is that employees and their employees are paying for that anyway. The insurer will make sure that they recover their costs and then add an amount for profit and expenses on top. Its all part of your premiums, so if everyone goes somewhere and it costs more money, then that gets passed along.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Glad to hear this.

So medications/prescriptions-wise, what's the secret to racking up big Airmiles at Safeway? I have about 200,000 Shopper's Optimum points--again--and nothing to spend them on--again.

Buy everything at once. If you just get one prescription at a time, you might not meet the base number.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Insurance Companies must hate these reward programs.

You pay an extra bit of money at Safeway, but get a crazy amount of Airmiles.
The insurance company has to pay 80% or more of the total cost, as is essentially paying the pharmacy a whole bunch more to give you a bunch of Air Miles.

Insurance companies seem to be quite well equipped to look out for themselves. I'm just going to enjoy my Air Miles and not think about it.

I would probably go to Safeway even without the Air Miles, because it is the most convenient. Shoppers is just as close, I guess, but I hate Shoppers. My insurance company usually pays the entire cost, except for a random 5 cents occasionally, which I consider very weird.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by GGG

I wonder if the legislation and powers given to the colleges of pharmacy in each province are different enough that the rulings would be different.

Every province's health acts are different, so essentially yes