How is this legal?

[ZombieHunter]

The fact that you're asking the question proves that you don't even know what the term means. "Price fixing" is when (nominal) competitors agree to "fix" the price amongst themselves. Since you found such a substantial difference between competitors, that's proof that they are not price fixing.

Please leave economics to people who actually know what the hell they're talking about.

"Who gave them the right?" Do you envision a board of government agents somewhere determining what the permissible price is? You say you understand capitalism, but your question again betrays the fact that no, you really don't. Sellers free to charge as they will, and buyers are free to buy or not, as they like.

Buyers are NOT free to buy or not if they like, sure if you would like to remain ill or get even iller and DIE! Sure thats a great justification, Ok maybe price fixing isnt the word, How about profiteering? Horse crap that its been brainwashed that "capitalism" makes it just peachy keen and ok to charge ridiculous amounts of $ for pills made in INDIA for $.00000003

 

[SMS]

Buyers are NOT free to buy or not if they like, sure if you would like to remain ill or get even iller and DIE!

That's not the scenario here...there were other, cheaper, options for purchase and you used one. It wasn't buy or die.

Don't like one merchant's price? Don't buy from them. Shop around and buy from someone else. Pretty damn simple.

There is no universal right to have exactly what you want, within a mile drive from your house, whenever you want it. Get up, do some research and be a smart consumer, not a lazy one.

 

[badrinker]

For those swearing that alldaychemist is breaking the law etc etc.. Unless it is a controlled substance based on categories identified by the FDA then you do not have to have a prescription to be in possession of it. Since the box is pretty obvious whats in it generally the post master will general inspect and re-seal with a tape showing it was opened/inspected at the post office. If there is something in there that is "questionable" the post master confiscates it. There are several in the "prepper" community that buy antibiotics such as cipro and keflex, inhalers, heart meds, etc. for years with not even one anecdotal case of arrests/charges coming that i know of. As far as the "source" goes many of our doctors are imported from india, so why not the meds.

It is illegal to buy "presciption" medications without a prescription! I know it's a felony to purchase any controlled drug without a prescription, non-controlled drugs may "just" be a misdemeanor. Possession is different than purchasing. Just because the postmaster isn't aggressively pursuing it doesn't make it legal. In this case, he's not only purchasing, but doing so under a false name, and then distributing. I fully understand the money saved is why he's doing it, and as long as he stays clear of controlled substances he'll probably stay under the radar and not be arrested. Bragging about it on a message board? Probably not a wise choice.

 

[vvvvvvv]

That's not the scenario here...there were other, cheaper, options for purchase and you used one. It wasn't buy or die.

Don't like one merchant's price? Don't buy from them. Shop around and buy from someone else. Pretty damn simple.

There is no universal right to have exactly what you want, within a mile drive from your house, whenever you want it. Get up, do some research and be a smart consumer, not a lazy one.

This.

A lot of big box retailers like Walgreens use loss leaders to get you in the store to buy other seriously overpriced goods. Up until maybe 10 years ago, it was hard to find an item in the grocery section of Wal-Mart that had any positive margin at all. Then recently, they did the $4 generic prescriptions, many of which had negative margins. Why? So they could get you to go over to toys, sporting goods, or hardware and buy something on an endcap with a 200+% markup while on rollback.

Walgreens gets you in by having some insane bargains outside the pharmacy. And most people aren't going to bother to shop for their prescriptions because they think that they are the same price everywhere, especially when they look at those "you saved" statements they get from their insurance provider later.

When I was considering going without insurance and just paying the fines and investing the difference myself, I did a lot of calling around to independent pharmacies and independent doctors to find out what the cash-on-the-counter cost would be for the services that I need (annual checkup to renew prescription for asthma meds, and fill asthma meds). A couple of the independents (I don't recall which ones) were at or just a little below my co-pay for a cash visit. For a while, my prescription copay was just a few dollars below the cash price on my asthma meds.

 

[BadgeBunny]

incredibly common. Always best to go to an "independent" pharmacy vs big name. Better service and 90% of the time better pricing. I use Barrett Drug Center in Edmond (since my mother works there) and The one in the Mercy clinic in Bethany. Fast, great service and pricing.

Places like Walgreens corporate sets their prices based on all overhead and they also get only what big daddy says they should have.

We used to use the one in the Mercy Clinic at Bethany too. They screwed up my prescriptions more than once. One time it was a bad enough screw up I wound up in the ER ... Everytime we tried to talk to them about my prescriptions they said either "oh, no that was the doctor's fault" (I checked and saw a copy of the written Rx ... NOT the doctor's fault) but the one that ended it for me was when I asked if I needed to worry about mixing any of the Rxs I was on and they said "Oh, no ... you're fine ..." Got home, did some internet research and low and behold, right there in bold text was "don't take this Rx with that Rx" on BOTH Rxs site info ...

I say go to that pharmacy at your own risk ...

 

[OliverKlohzoff]

It is illegal to buy "presciption" medications without a prescription! I know it's a felony to purchase any controlled drug without a prescription, non-controlled drugs may "just" be a misdemeanor. Possession is different than purchasing. Just because the postmaster isn't aggressively pursuing it doesn't make it legal. In this case, he's not only purchasing, but doing so under a false name, and then distributing. I fully understand the money saved is why he's doing it, and as long as he stays clear of controlled substances he'll probably stay under the radar and not be arrested. Bragging about it on a message board? Probably not a wise choice.

Purchasing for family is not "distribution". Lighten up Francis.

 

[badrinker]

Purchasing for family is not "distribution". Lighten up Francis.

Outside of your immediate family (those who live in your house)? Yes it is.

 

[Zombie]

We used to use the one in the Mercy Clinic at Bethany too. They screwed up my prescriptions more than once. One time it was a bad enough screw up I wound up in the ER ... Everytime we tried to talk to them about my prescriptions they said either "oh, no that was the doctor's fault" (I checked and saw a copy of the written Rx ... NOT the doctor's fault) but the one that ended it for me was when I asked if I needed to worry about mixing any of the Rxs I was on and they said "Oh, no ... you're fine ..." Got home, did some internet research and low and behold, right there in bold text was "don't take this Rx with that Rx" on BOTH Rxs site info ...

I say go to that pharmacy at your own risk ...

occasional pain meds or worst case antibiotics - meh I'll be fine...but good info. I never ask the pharmacist on duty anything...if I don't know the prescription I ask the doc or call up dear old momma

I do wish somebody woulda told me that the 2 medications I was on after hurting my knee would have caused the dopeyness and hearing sensitivity and such I went through. It was bad. sounded like everybody was yelling and just loud - plus a tunnel like effect.

 

[Dave70968]

Buyers are NOT free to buy or not if they like, sure if you would like to remain ill or get even iller and DIE! Sure thats a great justification, Ok maybe price fixing isnt the word, How about profiteering? Horse crap that its been brainwashed that "capitalism" makes it just peachy keen and ok to charge ridiculous amounts of $ for pills made in INDIA for $.00000003

Sure they are free to not buy. As others have pointed out, you proved it yourself: you did a little comparison shopping and found another pharmacy. Good for you! Competition is what will ultimately drive prices down.

Who gave them the right to grossly profit off other peoples sickness?

To answer your question more directly: ownership gives them the right. The pills in their inventory belong to them; they're free to do whatever they want with them. Keep them, give them away, sell them, or throw them in a bonfire around which they dance a merry jig, it's up to them.

With the right to sell comes the right to determine the conditions of the sale. Whether $1 or $1 million, they have the right to decide the terms under which they will sell. You have the same right as regards your cash: you have the right to determine under what conditions you'll part with it. You can choose whether you give $10 in exchange for one pill, or whether you will only part with your $10 for fifty pills.

When you, the buyer, and they, the sellers, come to a mutual agreement of terms, a trade forms. You've both decided that the utility of what the other guy has is more valuable to you than the utility of what you give up. If you can't find terms that leave you better off, you have the right to not part with your cash, because it's your property. Similarly, if they don't think that what you offer is more valuable to them than their pills, they don't have to sell to you.

What gives those rights? The right of property ownership. You seem to be saying that you need their stuff, and they have the ability to provide it, so you have a right to their property. I've heard that idea before, and it's a very, very bad one. You have absolutely no right to somebody else's stuff, and especially not to have it delivered to you at a convenient forum. If you want somebody else's stuff, go work out a deal with him on mutually-agreeable terms; don't get a case of the hips and suggest that he should be forced (and that's all government is: force) to the terms that you want.