Drug pricing hero Blueberry Pharmacy uses the Phill Box® to boost its brand
Blueberry Pharmacy does things differently. Located just outside Pittsburgh, PA, the three-year-old store saves patients from artificially inflated prices by using a “cost-plus” model.
Under the “cost-plus” system, the price that patients pay reflects the actual cost of their prescription medication, plus a service fee as low as $5 per month. That’s because Blueberry purchases drugs directly from wholesalers and only adds a flat service fee to cover the cost of dispensing medication.
At most pharmacies, drug prices are based on rates that companies, called pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs), negotiate on behalf of health insurers. Often, PBMs include more expensive drugs on insurers’ lists of covered prescriptions because those drugs pay higher rebates to the PBM. People with high-deductible plans, therefore, can face higher out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy.
Blueberry is an outlier because it does not accept insurance coverage.
The Phill Box® is another differentiator for Blueberry. The pharmacy began to use the sustainable, paper-based medication container in early 2022.
Owner-manager Kyle McCormick said it was an easy decision — he’s usually quick to act and loved the concept of using recyclable and biodegradable packaging. Without the Phill Box®, he said, “All we do every day is dispense prescriptions in a plastic bottle that ultimately gets thrown out by the patient.”
That waste is especially unnerving, McCormick said, when filling single-dose prescriptions in an entirely new bottle.
The Phill Box® fits into Blueberry’s strategy to enhance the patient experience. The store had already replaced the generic white paper pharmacy bag with a branded blue design. Its staff adds a blueberry lollipop, and new customers get a thank you note. McCormick is pleased that Parcel Health has taken on the more complicated work of inventing a modern medication container that is both eco- and user-friendly.
“I love their focus on design,” McCormick said. He said Parcel made it easy to print the Phill Box® with Blueberry’s signature colors and a fun interior pattern. “It turns what once was just an amber vial into something unique,” he said.
At Blueberry, eco-conscious and younger shoppers have generally been the most enthusiastic converts to the Phill Box®. McCormick said his staff has experienced no workflow challenges in switching to the sustainable packaging.
The Phill Box® can help any pharmacy stand out. McCormick noted that the Phill Box® doubles as a marketing tool: “You can use it as what sets you apart, especially in the traditional world of pharmacy where you might offer the same services as every other pharmacy in your area.”
The Phill Box® allows drugstores to distinguish themselves as the location for sustainable packaging.
The Phill Box® also offers the benefit of custom printing. Parcel’s in-house designer can create artwork that incorporates pharmacies’ individual branding and any messaging or QR codes they’d like to include. “Parcel is really good at designing. I feel like I didn’t have to do anything,” McCormick said. “I just chose from a few options and suggested minor edits.”
Check it out for yourself! We would love to send you a complimentary Phill Box® so that you can see how it fits into your pharmacy, too. Request a free sample!