(United States) Why are drug retail prices listed and rhetorically quoted at a price that one ever pays?

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Example: Imatinib is listed anywhere between $3k and $19k retail depending on the store you buy it (source: GoodRX). With insurance, you would never pay this amount. Without insurance you can use a coupon provider like GoodRX to reduce the retail price to as low as $120. I am told, but have no proof, that if you have no insurance and no coupon, the store will provide a “cash purchase value” that matches or is very close to the coupon price.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s essentially starting at a high price for negotiations with Ty the insurance company, who essentially end up paying pennies (if not fractions of pennies) on the dollar.

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