2019 BlueEssentials Pharmacy Information

The information on this page applies to BlueEssentialsSM individual and family plan members. These members purchased their plans directly from us or through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM).

Not sure if this applies to you? Check your member ID card. The first three letters of your member ID should be ZCF or ZCU.


BlueCross works with a team of health care providers to choose drugs that provide quality treatment. The plan covers medications when:

  • The drug is medically necessary.
  • You fill the prescription at one of our network pharmacies.
  • You follow all plan rules.

Want to know if a medication is covered by your plan? It’s easy to search our covered drug list.

Pharmacy Network

We offer pharmacy benefits through use the Advanced Choice Pharmacy Network.You’ll save money when you use pharmacies in this network. They include:

  • BI-LO
  • Costco 
  • CVS/pharmacy
  • Kmart
  • Kroger
  • Long’s Drugs
  • Publix
  • Sam’s Club
  • Wal-Mart
  • Winn-Dixie

BlueEssentials plans don’t cover costs of medications outside of this network. If you use a non-participating pharmacy, you’ll pay the full cost. If you’ve been using a non-network pharmacy, it’s easy to transition your prescriptions. Simply call or visit an in-network pharmacy. Your new pharmacy will help you move them.

Advanced Choice Pharmacy Network is a service of Caremark, an independent company that offers pharmacy network and other pharmacy benefit services on behalf of BlueCross. 

Vaccine Networks

BlueEssentials members can get vaccines for the flu, pneumonia and other illnesses at no cost. Just show the pharmacist your member ID. There’s no copay.

Find a pharmacy near you with the South Carolina Retail Pharmacy Vaccine Network listing.

Away from home? View the National Vaccine Network Directory listing to locate a CVS/pharmacy in your current area.

Pharmacy Directory

Use Caremark's Pharmacy Directory to find pharmacies near you. Or log into My Health Toolkit® to view the BlueEssentials pharmacy directory.

Drug Cost Tool

As a BlueEssentials plan member, you also have access to the drug cost tool. Use the tool to find out:

  • How much you can expect pay out of pocket for a medication
  • Lower cost alternatives, if there are any, that you may want to discuss with your health care provider
  • Whether there are rules or limitations to your coverage for the drug

To access the drug cost tool, log into My Health Toolkit. Select Benefits. Under Prescription Drugs, select Coverage and Cost.

Not yet a BlueCross member? You can use Caremark’s drug cost tool to see the average total cost of a particular drug and any limitations to getting it.


Caremark is an independent company that manages pharmacy benefits on behalf of BlueCross.

This page contains links to third party sites. Those parties are solely responsible for the contents and privacy policy on its sites.

Complementary Content
${loading}