BEST & WORST places
-
Giant Eagle: Best place to take Rx coupons
(theirs and competitors') -
Target: Great about taking their own
(don't take competitors' any more) -
CVS: Some locations/pharmacists great about taking Rx coupons (including competitors' at some; but others are not)
Giant Eagle in the Columbus, Ohio, area has usually been very flexible about offering Rx coupons -- ones that reward you with $1 in "FuelPerks" for each prescription you transfer to them from a competitor. So, three prescriptions transferred with three coupons could get you a free fill up. And the FuelPerks last 2 months after the end of the current month; no max -- so you can always wait to earn a free fill up. At times, they'll even offer the perk on NEW prescriptions as well as transfers (usually at new store openings). At times, they limited to ONE per day ... requiring several trips to pick up multiple meds and points. But that hasn't been the case for a long time now.
They also are great at matching any competitors coupons -- especially Kroger's (which usually are "coupon-less" lately ... so just mention them to get the $25 gift card match).
Target is great at all locations about taking their own coupons. They are typically worth $10 for each transfer from a competitor. They give you no problem using multiple coupons to transfer multiple prescriptions and pick them up all at once.
Another perk is that for each ten prescriptions you buy from Target, you earn an extra 5% off a shopping day at Target (when shopping with a Target RedCard -- debit or credit account -- in addition to the 5% you already receive with use of that card). Plus, each time you earn that extra 5%, you earn an extra 5% off an ONLINE order at Target.com.
They used to take competitor coupons but no longer do.
CVS: Best & Worst
My experiences using Rx coupons at CVS has varied between best and worst depending on location and which pharmacist and which pharmacy clerk was working.
CVS: At best
Some CVS pharmacists and their bosses have made it clear they want to keep customers happy. For a while, they would even honor a coupon to keep you from transferring a prescription away that was there (to keep you). Still at many locations, the pharmacists won't hesitate to honor a competitor coupon you bring them. Some may hesitate to honor more than one when you have more than one medication.
CVS: At worst
​I've had a CVS pharmacist insisit that the sign on his counter that said "We Accept Competitor Coupons" meant he'd take only ONE coupon for all 7 of the prescriptions I'd transferred to his store. Is that one per day? One per week? One per month? If I transferred them one by one, could I use more? He held the bag full of all of them up and said, "It's ONE per THIS. Take it or leave it." I left it and called his regional manger who sorted it out ... received a gift card for each. He was a "floater" pharmacist who fills in wherever needed. Spreading "charm" wherever he goes.
WORST pharmacies about taking Rx coupons -- even their own
Kroger
Despite the signs and ads that say, "We Gladly Accept Competitors Coupons," Kroger imposes daily limits and lifetime limits on use of coupons -- not just competitor coupons but their own. And, in most stores, they've removed the word "gladly" from the pharmacy sign on that offer. Their signs and ads all say "Ask pharmacist for details." When you talk to her/him, ask for the one-page handout they were asked to make by the Better Business Bureau after complaints against them for deceptive advertising. Yes, I filed it against them -- with Ohio Attorney General who asked the BBB to investigate.
Walgreens
At times has imposed one coupon limit per 6 months. Was more generous briefly after their refusal to accept Express script insurance for a while and then taking it again (after a bitter negotiation with ESI over reimbursement rates).
For a while, they took competitor coupons. Not any more. They're usually too rude about it to make it worthwhile.
Don't bother:
WalMart -- One of the three worst pharmacies I've dealt with. Also, they stopped taking competitor coupons a few years ago.
Meijer -- They offer their own coupons at checkout sometimes. You'll also see these for sale on eBay at times. Their coupons might be useful at one of the better places listed at left. But all of my experiences at Meijer have been bad. So no coupon makes it worth going there.
Kmart -- Some of the worst pharmacists I've encountered. They still offer coupons pretty often. And if you have a store at left that is close to a Kmart still open, they may take their coupons. The Giant Eagle stores near me don't consider them a competitor any more so don't take their coupons. In fairness, the closes Kmart is a longggg drive away.