Publix Discontinuing Free Prescriptions
Publix Super Markets has decided to end its free prescription medication program on June 1, according to published reports based on fliers that the grocer distributed to customers.
“While we are no longer offering medications for free, many will still be available at Publix Pharmacy at little to no out-of-pocket cost with most insurance plans,” the company noted in the flier, which went out in late March.
All medications that are now free through the program, such as amoxicillin, lisinopril, metformin and amlodipine, would now cost $7.50 for a 90-day or 14-day supply where appropriate, with many already covered by health insurance, various news outlets reported.
According to Publix, its pharmacists may be able to offer customers suggestions to help them afford their medications.
“Publix debuted our free prescription program in 2007, and to date we have dispensed well over 100 million free prescriptions,” a company representative told News 6 in Orlando, Fla. “We consistently evaluate our programs and services to ensure they are meeting the intended purpose and evolve over time.”
The grocer hit the 100-millionth-free-prescription mark in 2020.
Employee-owned and -operated, Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix has more than 1,200 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The grocer is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
