The Canadian Rx solution to the donut hole

To beat Aetna’s prescription costs, go to Canada – at least for those drugs that are not $5 or $10 through Aetna – particularly when you hit the donut hole. In my case, Uroxatral and Celebrex fit that category.

Uroxatral is cheaper for me from Aetna as long as I have NOT reached the donut hole. When I’m in the donut hole I can get Uroxatral from Canada (same pills, exactly, as you get from Aetna or your local American pharmacist) for $113.99 for 90 when it costs me $223.24 from Aetna when I’m in the donut hole. For Alfuzosin, which is the generic for Uroxatral, it costs me $77 for 100.

Celebrex is cheaper for me from Aetna as long as I have NOT reached the donut hole. When I’m in the donut hole I can get Celebrex from Canada (again, pills are identical to the ones you get from Aetna or your local pharmacist) for $137.78 for 100 when it costs me $301.41 for 90 from Aetna when I’m in the donut hole. For Celecoxib, the generic for Celebrex, it costs me $104.45 for 100.

There also is a $10 shipping charge from the Canadian pharmacy to factor in.

If I hit the donut hole Oct. 1, the 90 days of using the Canadian pharmacy will save me

Celebrex $301.41 minus $137.78 and $10 shipping= $153.63
Celecoxib (generic) $301.41 minus $104.45 and $10 shipping= $186.96

Uroxatral $223.24 minus $113.99 and $10 = $99.25
Alfuzosin (generic) $223.24 minus $77 and $10 = $136.24

With brand names I will save $252.88 and get 10 extra pills (100 vs. 90) for 3 months.
With generics, which we’re getting mostly from Aetna anyway, I will save $323.20!

Some of us are hitting the donut hole with SIX MONTHS left. In that case, for generics I will save $646.40!

How do you go about doing this and saving a ton of money for the exact pills you’re getting from Aetna?

1. Click on this headline, which will take you to the Canadian pharmacy web site, and find your drugs that cost more than Aetna’s $5 or $10 categories and see how much you can save.
2. Have your doctor write and hand you a prescription that, with refills, will equal or exceed the Canadian order (usually, 100 pills). If your doctor will fax the prescription to the Canadian pharmacy (mine won’t), have the Canadian pharmacy fax your doctor and he will fax the Canadian pharmacy the prescription.
3. If your doctor hands you your prescription, go back to this Canadian pharmacy web site, order your pills and either mail in your prescription or scan and email it in (that’s acceptable, too). There will be Rx delivery choices – Rx by U.S. Mail, email, etc. -- for you to click when you’re on the Canadian pharmacy web site.
4. CONTINUE to order the $5 and $10 prescriptions through Aetna. Even when you’re in the donut hole, that cost stays the same. Aetna just rigged the donut hole so that you won’t get out of it before the year ends, which means never.
5. Questions? I’d be happy to answer them. Email me at jo4wvu@sbcglobal.net or call me on my cellphone at (330) 388-4466. Or conduct a discussion on this BJ Retirees web site by clicking on Comments. Maybe someone else has other, legal, sensible ways to reduce the money we spend on prescriptions.



Uroxatral 10 mg
Aetna pre-donut hole cost ……….. $40 for 90
Aetna donut hole cost …………….. $223.24 for 90
Canada uroxatral cost …………….. $113.99 for 90
Canada Alfuzosin (generic) cost ... $77.00 for 100

Celebrex 200 mg
Aetna pre-donut hole cost ……….. $80 for 90
Aetna donut hole cost …………….. $301.41 for 90
Canada Celebrex cost …………….. $137.78 for 100
Canada Celecoxib (generic) cost ...$104.45 for 100