what's new

We're often told we ship fast, but how fast is fast?   Fast doesn't necessarily mean we're fast, but probably means we're faster than most people are accustomed to in our industry.

Our stated delivery time is 2 - 9 business days and sometimes it takes all 9 business days to get there.  Unfortunately, we can only control the order process from the time the order received to the time it is picked up by USPS or UPS.  Once it is in the hands of the mailman or the brown shorts, we can only guess when it will arrive.

However, the part we can control (picking and packing) often results in our fast delivery times.  On average, the majority of our 100% Free Shipping orders arrive in 2 - 5 business days even all the way out to California.

While it sounds basic, here is why we are so fast at getting our orders out:

1.  We are located in Cincinnati, Ohio.  This puts us within reach of 80% of the US population in 2 to 3 days.  Sorry California, but your times are averaging 3 - 5 days with some packages arriving as fast as 2 days.  We're working on making your delivery times faster too.

2.  We work every minute of the day, as fast as possible, packing your orders until the US Postal Service or UPS shows up at our door to pick up packages.  Keep it a secret, but if it means making a little small talk with the mailman, we'll do it. Anything to buy us a little more time to get a few extra packages out. ;-)

3.  Anything we can't get out before we run out of things to say to the mailman, we do the old fashioned way.  We load up a truck and drive it down to the main post office in Cincinnati to ship the last remaining packages. 

We're obsessed with shipping every single package possible the same day down to the last hour, minute and second.  We don't relax for one second until every single package has been shipped or the post office is closed.

Of course, all the speed doesn't mean we're sloppy.  All orders are barcode scanned and triple checked to make sure every customer is getting exactly what they ordered.  Accuracy cannot be sacrificed for speed, after all, we're talking about medication here.

Why do we go through such extra lengths to get orders out the same day?  The answer is simple:  Buying medications is not like buying books or a tv.  Buying medications is often a life or death situation, and any delay can be life threatening.  Every order must be accurate and shipped in a timely manner.

If you shop with us, you probably already know this, which is likely why you shopped with us in the first place.  That and we offer 300 prescription medications for $3.50, free shipping, 90 day returns, no restocking fees, friendly customer service. . . .OK time to stop.

Tell us what you think? What do you consider fast shipping when ordering online?

Labels: delivery times, fast shipping, UPS, USPS

We talked about co-pays in terms of prescription medications, however, another area where co-pays could go is for standard procedures at hospitals.  Hospitals charge exorbitant amounts for small procedures such as getting stitches with bills in the thousands.

For those who are insured, insurance covers the vast majority of the cost leaving us a deductible or co-pay.  However, everyone ends up paying this inflated cost as insurance premiums rise to cover the fees.  This is another case where a new model is emerging.

Two friends of ours: Dr. John Muney, founder of AMG Medical Group in New York City and Dr. Vic Wood, founder of Primary Care One in West Virginia & Ohio are innovators in this space.  They offer comprehensive healthcare (almost everything offered in a hospital) for a low flat fee under $100 a month.

Yes, you read correctly.  In fact it's $79 a month for AMG Medical Group and $83 a month for Primary Care One, with NO CO-PAYS.

Both doctors faced uphill battles getting state approval, however, once people saw the benefits of offering truly affordable healthcare, the rest was history.  Dr. Muney says, ""What is happening in the American medical system is 70% of our healthcare cost is not spent on healthcare. It's bureaucracy. People ask me, 'What's the catch?' I say, 'There isn't one.'"

Therein lies the problem:  Here are two doctors with obvious answers to the healthcare debate bringing affordable care within reach of most Americans, but we can't believe it.  We've been trained to believe we must go to hospitals, use our insurance, and pay co-pays.

So, have we convinced you that co-pays are unnecessary?  Probably not, but until American's can get their mind around comprehensive healthcare being as good as any hospital for a flat fee, the co-pay will be alive and well and the status quo will prevail.

Labels: amg medical group, co-pay, dr muney, dr. wood, flat-fee healthcare, health insurance, primary care one

We're often asked if we accept insurance for purchasing medications.  This is a great question as most pharmacies charge high enough prices that it makes sense to use insurance.  Insurance can help offset some of the high cost of prescription drugs especially when it comes to brand names.

What happens when the price of the medication is actually below the insurance co-pay?  Such a situation didn't really exist until the $4 prescription drug list came out.  Now many pharmacies offer this program and hence the co-pay maybe on its last legs.

Let's take a common drug like Simvastatin (Generic Zocor) used to control high cholesterol.  Typical insurance co-pays range between $10 - $20 for medications with some going as high as $25.

At typical pharmacy prices, it makes sense to purchase this drug using your insurance since the price of this drug is above $20 for 30 Tablets.  However, when the price is below the co-pay at $3.50 for 30 Tablets, it doesn't make sense to use your insurance.

With insurance, you would pay a minimum of $10 assuming your co-pay is $10.  Paying cash, you would only pay $3.50 saving you $6.50.  The savings is even higher when you purchase higher quantities.

The Simvastatin example will only become more common, as co-pays rise, generic manufacturers get direct access to the consumer, and more retail pharmacies try to match the flat pricing model. 

The word "co-pay" in relation to prescription drugs may finally become obsolete as consumers opt to save money by paying cash rather than use their insurance.  In our opinion, it couldn't happen soon enough especially when people save money on their medications.

Labels: co-pay, health insurance, simvastatin, zocor

Recently we had the opportunity to speak with a doctor from New York, a nice gentleman who like many Americans was in the Medicare "donut hole".  His local CVS was charging $200 for his medication, and Medicare did not cover his cost, so he decided to go online.

He came across our site and found the drug listed for $60.  His first thought was how is this possible?  It must be an illegitimate generic or there must be some catch.  How could the same drug at CVS for $200 be $60 with free shipping? 

This is probably the most common question we get and so we thought it might be useful to explain the discrepancy in price.

There are 5 reasons why prescription drugs are so expensive:

1.  Regulations - The United States has some of the strictest standards for drugs in the world and this is a good thing considering our health is at stake.  In addition, the America sometimes operates as 51 small countries, all with their own rules and regulations.  Each state has their own special requirements for obtaining prescription licenses.

2.  Limited Competition - Regulations while protecting our health also limit competition because it is extremely difficult to obtain the necessary licenses to sell prescription drugs.  This means very few companies are licensed to sell prescription drugs to consumers compared to the size of the market.

3.  Lack Of Innovation - The healthcare field as a whole is a slow moving industry.  In general, the industry is satisfied with the status quo.  After all, "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"  The system is not broke as long as you are on the right side of the equation.  Unfortunately, for most of us, this is not the case.

4.  Brick And Mortar Pharmacies - The way the majority of us get our drugs is by going down to our local brick-and-mortar pharmacy.  Have you noticed how many pharmacies are concentrated in a small area of a typical suburb in the US?  A quick search near HealthWarehouse in Loveland, OH, brought up more than 10 pharmacies.  Can you imagine how much real estate and personnel costs?  Take a place like San Francisco or New York City and the costs skyrocket further.  Factor these costs into the price of your drugs.

5.  Inefficient Distribution System - A typical drug from its origin at the manufacturer to the destination at the consumer has passed through more than a few hands before it reaches you.  These middle steps also contribute to the cost of prescriptions.

Going back to the price discrepancy for our Doctor friend and the reason why our prices are so much lower than the others is simple:  We are more efficient at getting the drug from the manufacturer or wholesaler to you the consumer because we ship from a single warehouse in Cincinnati, Ohio and sell via the Internet.  When you remove the cost of purchasing expensive real-estate, buildings, and personnel across the United States, the price of medications comes down to levels which are affordable for the average consumer.

At $200 a month, our Doctor's cost would have been $2,400 a year.  At $60 a month, his cost comes down to $720, a savings of $1,680!  While $720 is a lot of money, it pales in comparison to $2,000.  We're fairly certain he'll be happy keeping his money in his own pocket rather than spending it at the pharmacy and that's the way it should be.

Labels: CVS, donut hole, medicare, prescription drug costs, regulations

With the onset of flu season, many people are asking what they can do to avoid contracting influenza.  Obviously basic hygiene is of critical importance this time of year.  Proper hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes,  eating a well balanced diet, and staying hydrated are all important steps, not just during flu season but any time of the year.  Healthcare providers are recommending, as usual, that everyone who is able receive a flu vaccine.  Many people are asking if there are any other drugs that can prevent or treat the flu.  One medication that HealthWarehouse.com offers and that has been around for a while is Tamiflu.  Here are a few facts about Tamiflu from the manufacturer, Roche Laboratories.

What is Tamiflu?
Tamiflu (oseltamivir), a prescription drug, is an oral anitviral treatment for influenza.  It is not a substitute for the flu shot which is the first line of defense for flu protection.  It belongs to a class of medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors (NAI).  These medicines prevent the influenza virus from spreading inside the body.  When neuraminidase is inhibited, the virus is unable to exit the host cell and spread to and infect other cells in the body.  Unlike older antivirals, such as M2 inhibitors, NAIs, such as Tamiflu, are effective against the influenza A and B viruses.

How is Tamiflu used?
Tamiflu is used for the treatment and prevention of influenza in people one year and older.  It is given orally, typically in a capsule form (75mg), and is systemically absorbed, meaning that it can reach key sites in the body where the influenza virus multiplies.  Treatment with Tamiflu must begin within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms for full effect.

What are the benefits of Tamiflu?
When administered according to its approved dosage (75mg, twice daily for five days) and within 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms, there is a reduction in the duration of influenza illness and the severity of symptoms.  In flu treatment studies of patients who took Tamiflu according to these guidelines, adults felt better 30 percent faster, and children felt better up to 26 percent faster, than flu patients who did not take Tamiflu.  In children, treatment with Tamiflu may also reduce the incidence of middle ear infections (associated otitis media) and the likelihood of febrile influenza (flu marked by fever).

It has been suggested that Tamiflu may also help prevent or lessen the symptoms associated with H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu).  The available evidence of the clinical effectiveness against avian influenza is largely anecdotal and, in the majority of cases, is associated with significant delays in the start of treatment (not within 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms).

When should Tamiflu not be used?
An intranasal flu vaccine like FluMist should not be given within two weeks before or 48 hours after taking Tamiflu, unless it is deemed appropriate by your doctor.


For more information on Tamiflu, visit http://www.tamiflu.com or ask your healthcare provider.

live updates

subscribe

RSS Feed
Fan Page
healthwarehouse
hw_deals
hw_rich
hw_dan
lalitd
solesearching