PORTLAND, Ore. - When you want to buy a new car or a plane ticket, or even gas, you probably shop around for the best deal. But do you ever price check for prescription drugs? 

There’s a huge difference from pharmacy to pharmacy.  In fact, you could be saving hundreds, even thousands of dollars a year.

Lauren Knox and her parents learned that after a trip to the pharmacy in January.

“I feel pretty good," said Knox, pictured at right, of Raleigh Hills. "I feel good because I had my Zofran."

The 12-year-old is fighting leukemia and the sometimes crippling side effects of chemotherapy. She said she can barely function without her anti-nausea drugs.

“I don't want to really do anything," she said. "I just want to flop and just watch TV and just become like a total zombie.”

Lauren takes the generic version of Zofran.  The first time her father, Jamie Knox, picked it up from the Fred Meyer pharmacy, he was stunned by the price. It cost him $502 dollars for 20 pills.

 "It lasts 8 hours, so you can go through three Zofran a day," he said. "So 20 could be a week's worth."

That’s $500 a week that’s not covered by insurance. The Knoxes called a few other pharmacies.  Lauren’s mom found the same prescription for $32 dollars at Costco.

“Nancy was appalled," said Jamie Knox, pictured at left. "She was just shocked and so we went back to Fred Meyer and said 'Hey! What's the deal here?' "

It wasn’t a mistake.  KATU On Your Side Problem Solver wanted to know if the massive price difference was normal.  We compared three popular prescription drugs at four pharmacies: the generic version of Zofran, Imitrex, which is a migraine medicine, and the generic version of prescription Lamisil, used for nail fungus.

Rite Aid’s price for the Zofran was so high, we called back just to make sure we got it right.

A pharmacist told us: “Everyone’s prices are different.” 

They are very different.  For example, here's the cost of Zofran at various stores:

• Rite Aid - $787.99
• Fred Meyer - $93.66
• Wal-Mart - $87.68
• Costco - $32.95

There was a $42 dollar difference between the lowest and highest Imitrex prices.  A generic version of the drug is not available yet.

Here's the cost of Imitrex at various stores:

• Rite Aid - $229.99
• Fred Meyer - $235.56
• Wal-Mart - $234
• Costco - $193.14

Here's the cost of Lamisil at various stores:

• Rite Aid - $344.99
• Fred Meyer - $107.13
• Costco - $21.50
• Wal-Mart - $4

The Wal-Mart price is part of the chain's $4 generic prescription program.

Jerry Cohen, the state director of AARP Oregon, said the problem goes back to the drug manufacturers and wholesalers, who don’t sell to every pharmacy at the same price.

"I wish I could say, 'Oh, company A is trying to gouge you more or whatever than company B,' but the fact is, they are all dealing with bits and pieces of information themselves,” he said.

Pharmacists will tell you to “shop around.”  But for Jamie Knox, who’s busy working from home and trying to keep his daughter Lauren comfortable through chemotherapy, that really wasn’t an option.  He feels bad about hesitating to give her the drugs she needs.

"You know, when we thought the pills were $25 a piece, we were kind of like ‘Are you sure you're nauseous? How nauseous are you?’ ” he said.

Fred Meyer lowered its Zofran price after Jamie Knox sent the company a letter.  But other pharmacies are still charging hundreds more, and he wants every consumer to know about it.

“I just think it's awful," he said. "I mean, more than anything I want it to stop, because I think it's wrong, and I think people and kids probably have been hurt and probably will get hurt."

KATU contacted Rite Aid, Fred Meyer, Costco and Wal-Mart. A spokeswoman for Rite Aid said the company takes great strides to compete with other pharmacies. She said Rite Aid is constantly monitoring its prices to remain competitive and does re-evaluate its prices when it gets feedback from customers and the media. Rite Aid will match a price if it can verify a competitor’s price.

Fred Meyer says it also matches prices, even if it means the company will lose money.  Fred Meyer says its prescriptions may cost more, but they offer better customer service and a bigger staff of pharmacists.

Families that don’t qualify for Medicaid or that have high deductibles can enroll in the Oregon Prescription Drug Program.  Every Oregon resident qualifies, and it could save you 60 percent.

For more information, on the prescription drug program, click here or call (800) 913-4146.