From: "Jeff Shultz" 

"Bill Lucy"  wrote in message
news:MPG.138d6d5a6bc1ee4d9898d9{at}news.barkto.com...
> In article , si{at}wvi.com says...
> > non-brand? Well, I'm using cimetidine instead of Tagamet (thanks to the
acid
> > reflux...it runs in the family). Personally I'm not all that big on name
> > brands, as long as the doctor knows what is actually being dispensed.
>
> An HMO generally has a "formulary". They have certain drugs which the
don't
> cover, or cover to a lesser degree (your out-of-pocket increases). As an
> example, the cimetidine might not be covered since there is an
over-the-counter
> equivalent.
>

There isn't an otc equivalent for 200mg Cimetidine... 60 of the little
suckers cost about $30 - for which I pay $15. There are indeed some drugs
they won't cover - I'm still not sure about their stance on birth control
pills, but I'm pretty sure that they won't cover Viagra. I know that Kaiser
has some real hesitations about "experimental" drugs or
treatements though.

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