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Buying your medicine from Canada? What changes October 22

Last updated October 9, 2026 · Reviewed by the LowerScript editorial team · Español

Short answer. Starting October 22, 2026, U.S. Customs suspends the low-value “de minimis” shipping exemption, and Canadian mail-order pharmacies have told customers they expect prescription shipments to Americans to stop or become much harder. If you buy medicine from Canada, check what the same medicine costs at LowerScript before your next refill. Prices differ by medicine, so also check your Medicare drug plan (open enrollment runs October 15 – December 7).

Enter your ZIP code to compare your Canada list

We use your ZIP code only to open your state’s page. LowerScript is a free prescription discount program, not insurance.

Choose your state

Each state page has the Canadian listed prices next to today’s LowerScript prices.

What is changing

  • The Associated Press reported on October 8, 2026 that the “de minimis” exemption for shipments valued under $800 is suspended starting October 22, 2026.
  • Medications mailed from outside the U.S. will then need additional data and a bond.
  • The rule does not specifically target Canadian drugs.
  • According to the AP, a Canadian pharmacy association and Canadian pharmacies expect personal shipments to U.S. customers to become difficult or uneconomical.

Source: Associated Press, via U.S. News, October 8, 2026. This page takes no position on the rule; it is about comparing prices before your next refill.

What we found

In an exact-match check at one U.S. ZIP code on Oct 8–9, 2026, U.S. generics were cheaper than the Canadian listing in all 15 cases; brand names were cheaper from Canada in all 18 cases.

Listed prices; shipping is not included, and prices change. The state pages and the medicine pages below show every price and its date.

Compare medicine by medicine

One page per medicine, with the Canadian listing and the LowerScript price side by side:

If you have Medicare

If you have Medicare, compare plans. In 2026, Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,100 a year, and Medicare’s negotiated prices took effect January 1, 2026 for drugs including Eliquis, Xarelto, Januvia, Jardiance, Farxiga, Entresto and NovoLog. Open enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026; compare plans at Medicare.gov. Sources: CMS 2027 landscape fact sheets (dates) and Nasdaq’s summary of 2026 Medicare changes (cap and drug list).

Sources and method. Canadian prices come from Great North Pharmacy’s public product pages, captured October 9, 2026; each option is listed as “Product of Canada”. The pages show prices with a “$” and do not name the currency; its Eliquis 5 mg × 180 price ($389.45) matches PharmacyChecker’s U.S.-dollar listing for this pharmacy, so we treat its prices as U.S. dollars. Shipping is not included. Rows marked Over The Border Meds come from that seller’s public product pages, captured October 8, 2026, in U.S. dollars as listed; that listing does not state where each product comes from, and shipping is not included. “Per 30 days” is simple arithmetic from the pack price (pack price ÷ units in the pack × units in a 30-day supply at a usual dose). LowerScript prices come from our price tool between October 8, 2026 and October 9, 2026 at ZIP 33602 (Tampa): the lowest price among nearby in-network pharmacies for the strength and quantity shown. “Compare your price” means we do not have a matching LowerScript price for that row. A check mark means the drug is on the list of drugs with Medicare-negotiated prices that took effect January 1, 2026. Prices change, and savings vary by medication, dosage and pharmacy. Strengths and packs can differ between countries, so compare the labels in each cell. This table compares listed prices; it is not a recommendation to buy from any seller and not medical advice. An asterisk (*) marks the closest match we could list or price: the same medicine in a different strength or pack. Prices are never scaled across strengths; see the note under the table.

Frequently asked questions

Will my Canadian order still arrive after October 22?

We can’t predict that. The Associated Press reports that Canadian pharmacies expect shipments to Americans to stop or become much harder once the federal rule takes effect on October 22. Compare your price at LowerScript before your next refill.

Is LowerScript insurance?

No. LowerScript is a free prescription discount program, not insurance. At a participating pharmacy you pay the discounted cash price instead of using insurance for that fill.

Can I use LowerScript if I have Medicare?

The LowerScript card can’t be combined with Medicare on the same purchase, but you can choose, fill by fill, to pay the discounted cash price instead of using your plan. A fill paid with the card does not count toward your plan’s out-of-pocket cap, so weigh that if you are close to it. See our guide: Can you use a discount card with Medicare?

Which is cheaper, Canada or LowerScript?

It depends on the medicine. See “What we found” above and the medicine-by-medicine comparisons below. Shipping is not included in the Canadian prices and prices change, so compare your price at LowerScript for your own medicine and strength.

Which states does this comparison cover?

Today we compare Canada lists for AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, NC, SC and TX. Enter your ZIP code above and we send you to your state’s page. For any other state, you can still check the price of a medicine with the price check.

What about brand-name drugs with no generic?

During Medicare open enrollment (October 15 – December 7), compare plans on your actual medicines at Medicare.gov. You can also check whether the drug’s manufacturer offers a patient assistance or savings program for your medicine; see our guide on discount cards and manufacturer coupons.

Is the Canadian price on a medicine page what I would pay?

Not necessarily. It is the pack price shown on the seller’s public product page on the capture date, in U.S. dollars. Shipping is not included, and the listing does not say where each product comes from.

This guide is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. LowerScript is a prescription discount program, not insurance.

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More guides: Can You Use a Discount Card With Medicare? · Generic vs Brand-Name Drugs · Mail-Order vs Local Pharmacy · How to Transfer a Prescription  |  All savings guides