Where Should I Get My Prescriptions Filled? Mail Order vs Local Pharmacy

Filling a prescription seems simple until you’re faced with multiple options, insurance rules, and cost differences that aren’t always explained.

In this episode of Take Care, host Melody Mulaik answers a listener’s question: Where should I get my prescriptions filled? Melody walks through the pros and cons of local pharmacies versus mail-order prescriptions and explains how to decide based on urgency, cost, insurance coverage, and personal preference.

This episode helps you understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer and that you’re allowed to mix and change options as your needs evolve.

In this episode, Melody discusses:

• [00:30] Why this question is more complex than it sounds
• [01:00] In-person pharmacies: grocery store vs freestanding locations
• [01:35] The advantage of same-day and 24-hour pharmacies
• [02:00] Why access to a pharmacist matters, especially for new medications
• [02:45] Mail-order prescriptions and why they’re usually 90-day supplies
• [03:10] Cost savings and convenience of mail-order medications
• [03:45] Insurance considerations and mail-order contracts
• [04:30] Why you don’t have to choose just one option
• [05:00] How to decide what works best for your situation