Have you heard of CostPlusDrugs.com? If you or someone you care for takes prescription medications, this website might save you a lot of money.
I had never heard of it myself until recently, and when I saw the prices, I had the same reaction you probably will: “Is this actually real?”
The short answer is yes. CostPlusDrugs.com is a legitimate, fully licensed online pharmacy that sells generic drugs at prices far lower than most traditional pharmacies.
| Is CostPlusDrugs.com a legitimate pharmacy? Yes. CostPlusDrugs.com is a licensed, URAC-accredited online pharmacy founded by Mark Cuban and Dr. Alex Oshmyansky in 2022. It sells over 2,300 generic medications at the company’s cost plus a flat 15% markup, with no insurance required. Medications are shipped directly to your door nationwide. |
What Is CostPlusDrugs.com?
CostPlusDrugs.com is an online pharmacy started by entrepreneur Mark Cuban and radiologist Dr. Alex Oshmyansky. They built it with one goal in mind: to cut out the middlemen who drive up drug prices and pass those savings directly to the patient.
Most of us have no idea what our prescriptions actually cost. We just pay whatever the pharmacy tells us, often after a complicated negotiation between our insurance company and a company called a Pharmacy Benefit Manager, or PBM. PBMs are the middlemen, and they are often the reason prices are so high.
Cost Plus Drugs skips all of that. They buy generic medications directly from manufacturers, mark them up a flat 15%, add a small dispensing fee and a shipping fee, and that is your total.
No surprises. No hidden fees. The price you see on the website is the price you pay.
Is CostPlusDrugs.com Safe to Use?
I know what you are thinking. Prices that low must mean something is off. But the answer is no, nothing is off.
Here is why you can trust this pharmacy:
- It is a licensed pharmacy operating in all 50 states
- It holds URAC accreditation, which is a respected healthcare quality standard
- Medications come from the same manufacturers that supply traditional pharmacies
- Pharmacists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions
- Pricing is fully transparent, you can see exactly what you are paying and why
The only real difference is the business model. Cost Plus Drugs is what is called a public benefit corporation, which means doing good for the public is built into its mission, not just its marketing.
How Does the Pricing Work?
The pricing formula is simple, and that simplicity is the whole point. Every drug on the site is priced the same way:
- The pharmacy’s cost to acquire the drug
- Plus a flat 15% markup
- Plus a $5 pharmacy dispensing fee
- Plus $5.25 for standard shipping
That is it. No tiered pricing. No insurance-based adjustments. No mystery. A caregiver in Florida pays the same price as someone in Oregon.
To give you a sense of the savings, consider that some generic medications that retail for hundreds of dollars at a traditional pharmacy can cost under $50 with a discount card, and sometimes even less through Cost Plus Drugs. It is worth comparing prices before you fill any prescription.
How Does Cost Plus Drugs Compare to a Traditional Pharmacy?
| Traditional Pharmacy | Cost Plus Drugs |
| Price set by PBM middlemen | Price = cost + 15% markup |
| Prices vary widely by pharmacy | Same price for everyone nationwide |
| Insurance required for best price | No insurance needed |
| You rarely know true drug cost | Full pricing shown before you order |
| Pick up in person | Shipped to your door |
| Thousands of drugs available | 2,300+ generics available |
Is CostPlusDrugs.com Right for Seniors?
This is a question I think about a lot as a retired occupational therapist who worked with seniors for years. Many of my former clients were managing multiple medications on fixed incomes. The math was often brutal.
Cost Plus Drugs can be especially helpful for seniors who:
- Take one or more generic medications regularly
- Are uninsured or in the Medicare Part D coverage gap (sometimes called the donut hole)
- Have high deductible plans and pay more out of pocket before insurance kicks in
- Want a convenient mail-order option and prefer delivery to a pharmacy trip
One important thing to note: Cost Plus Drugs does not accept insurance, so you pay cash. However, for many generic medications, the cash price through Cost Plus is still lower than what you would pay with your copay. It is worth checking both prices before you decide.
Here’s my story: My sister was just diagnosed with a medical condition that requires a medication that costs her (with her insurance discount) $1600.00 a month! So, I told her about Cost Plus Drugs and the same medication costs her $30.28 per month. That’s just ridiculous, right?!
Does Cost Plus Drugs Work With Medicare?
| Can you use CostPlusDrugs.com if you have Medicare? Yes, you can use CostPlusDrugs.com with Medicare, but the site does not bill Medicare directly. You pay cash and cannot submit for reimbursement. For some seniors, especially those in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, the cash price at Cost Plus Drugs may still be lower than their Medicare copay. Always compare prices before filling. |
How to Get Started With CostPlusDrugs.com
Getting started is straightforward. Here is what you do:
- Go to CostPlusDrugs.com and search for your medication by name
- Create a free account and enter your basic health information
- Ask your doctor to send a prescription to “Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company”
- Place your order and your medication ships to your door
The whole sign-up process takes about 15 minutes. You can search for any medication before you even create an account, so you can check prices with no commitment.
One Honest Limitation to Know
I always want to give you the complete picture, not just the good parts. Cost Plus Drugs is not always the cheapest option on every drug.
Discount card programs like GoodRx or SingleCare sometimes beat their prices on certain medications. The smart move is to check both before you fill any prescription.
Also, Cost Plus Drugs currently focuses on generic medications. If you need a brand-name drug, you will likely need to fill it elsewhere.
FAQ
| Prompt for FAQs: Write 3 relevant FAQs that can be added to this website for the purpose of creating new articles. |
FAQ 1: Can I use CostPlusDrugs.com if I already have insurance?
Yes, you can. Cost Plus Drugs does not bill insurance, so you pay cash. But for many generic drugs, the cash price at Cost Plus is lower than your insurance copay. It is worth checking both before you fill any prescription.
FAQ 2: What kinds of medications does CostPlusDrugs.com sell?
Cost Plus Drugs carries over 2,300 generic medications, including drugs for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, asthma, antifungal infections, and more. They do not currently stock most brand-name medications.
FAQ 3: How long does shipping take from CostPlusDrugs.com?
Standard shipping is $5.25 and typically takes a few business days. They also offer expedited shipping for an additional fee. Most patients report receiving their medications within 3 to 5 days.
My Thoughts as a Former OT
I spent years watching seniors skip doses or cut pills in half because they could not afford their medications. It was one of the most frustrating things I saw in my career, because those decisions had real consequences for their health and safety.
CostPlusDrugs.com is not a miracle, and it is not right for every situation. But for generic medications on a tight budget, it is one of the most straightforward tools I have seen in years. The prices are real. The pharmacy is legitimate. And the whole point of it is to put you, the patient, first.
If you or someone you care for takes a generic medication regularly, it takes about 15 minutes to search your drug on their website. That 15 minutes could save you a meaningful amount of money every single month.
