Prescription savings guide

Buying your medicine from Canada? What changes on October 22, and how to compare before your next refill

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 a pharmacy near you before your next refill. Prices differ by medicine, so also check your Medicare drug plan (open enrollment runs October 15 – December 7) and ask whether a generic is available.

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.

Your options before your next refill

1. Check the price near you. Use the LowerScript price check to see cash prices at nearby pharmacies. The card is free. LowerScript is a prescription discount program, not insurance: you pay the discounted cash price instead of using insurance for that fill.
2. 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).
3. Ask about a generic. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic version of your medicine is available.
4. Ask about timing. Ask your pharmacist about timing your next refill.

Canada vs. here: prices for commonly imported medicines

Canadian listed prices for 33 commonly imported medicines are below; use the links to check the price near you. An asterisk (*) marks the closest strength listed; see the note under the table.

* Closest match: where we could not price the exact strength or pack size, we show the nearest strength or pack of the same medicine. Check your exact prescription with the price check.

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). Use “Check price near you” to open the LowerScript price check and see cash prices at nearby pharmacies. 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

This guide is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Decisions about your medicines are yours to make with your prescriber or pharmacist. LowerScript is a prescription discount program, not insurance.

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