Picking up two or three months' worth of medication at once and being startled by the total at the pharmacy counter is a common experience. When a prescription includes so-called 'non-reimbursed' drugs that health insurance does not cover, the bill can climb into the hundreds of thousands of won. It is natural to wonder whether the same medicine would be cheaper at a pharmacy near home rather than one beside the hospital. The short answer is that it depends on the type of drug.
Prescription drugs covered by the national health insurance are priced against a government-set ceiling price (reimbursement upper limit). For the same ingredient and the same product, both the drug price and the patient's co-payment share are identical whether you buy it at a pharmacy in front of a university hospital in Seoul or at a small neighborhood shop. Fees added during dispensing are also fixed under the insurance fee schedule, so a pharmacy cannot raise or lower them at will. For covered drugs, then, the saying 'it's the same anywhere in the country' is largely true.
Non-covered drugs are a different story. Because a pharmacy can set its own wholesale purchase price and margin for these, prices can in theory differ from shop to shop. This is the same reason over-the-counter (OTC) products such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or energy tonics vary in price between convenience stores, marts, and pharmacies — their prices have long been set by the seller under a free-pricing system.
So can you save money on an expensive non-covered prescription drug by switching pharmacies? It is possible, but a large difference is unlikely in practice. Distribution of high-priced prescription drugs is relatively standardized, and neighborhood pharmacies often have to order them specially because they are not kept in stock. Pharmacies right by large hospitals tend to keep the drugs that hospital prescribes frequently, so you may be able to receive them on the spot.
When the cost feels heavy, there are things worth checking first. One, ask the prescribing clinician or the hospital's billing desk whether a drug billed as non-covered is actually an insurable drug that was processed as non-covered only because a condition was not met. Two, serious illnesses such as cancer may qualify for a special co-payment reduction program, so confirm whether you are registered. Three, some costly drugs have patient-assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies or foundations — ask your pharmacist or the hospital social work team. Four, a prescription is usually valid for several days, so you can call ahead about stock and price before visiting.
In short, an insured prescription drug costs the same at any pharmacy, while non-covered drugs and over-the-counter products can differ. But if the bill is large, it is often more helpful to first ask 'why is this drug non-covered' and 'what support am I eligible for' than to hunt for the cheapest shop.
This article is for general information only and does not replace personal medical care. Actual drug prices, insurance coverage, and support programs can change with time and circumstances, so please consult your prescribing clinician, your pharmacist, or your hospital's counseling desk.