I had a gastroenterologist tell me to find out which meds were in my health insurance co's formulary so that he could prescribe something they would pay for. So I don't think your pdoc was out of line. Each insurance company is different, and each pharmacy can be different as well. I don't think that a Dr would have time/energy to know every insurance co and every pharmacy. Even the pharmacists have to look up what the price is on their computers.

Have you checked the website that there is a link to on the psych meds forum? They will tell you the price that you can get any specific medication at for lots of different pharmacies. I have seen differences in the hundreds of dollars on some meds. My hubby takes a med that insurance won't pay for because he is on two similar meds. At the pharmacy we usually go to it was almost $200, but we found it at another pharmacy for $27.