Insurance and paying meds

Yes, if the generic cost less than your plan pays, they are going to charge you the price rather than use your insurance.

I do not think the retail/"actual" cost of meds factors into the equation; one good thing about health care and pharmacy plans is that what one would have to pay retail versus what the insurance company has to pay is different; it's more of a "matching" thing so if you pay $15, they probably pay $15 the whole 15/40/60 thing is a good bet; you get $300 worth of that. So, as you see, finding a place where they do not charge your insurance and you pay $5 "saves" you $5 of your insurance $300.

But, you should look at your plan and how much you are paying for your meds portion; the insurance company has to make money to stay in business; so if your meds do not cost you at least $300 a year, you are paying more than you are getting. If your monthly bill is $10, for example, that you pay for insurance and your medicine only costs $115 if you were to buy it outright, you are giving the insurance company an extra $5 ($10 x 12 = $120) so you should cancel that portion of your insurance, save the $10 a month/find a cheaper plan. My husband just did that with his Medicare and saved us $450 a year!