It is clear that online Canadian pharmacies have access to a strong market here in the U.S. If that market were not viable, online properties like Canada Pharmacy would not exist. Furthermore, we know that cheaper prices are the main driving factor behind the success of the online pharmacy model. But here in the States, who benefits the most from what these properties offer?

In a general sense, every customer who purchases prescription medications, OTC medications, and pet medications from Canada Pharmacy benefits. But there are certain groups of consumers that stand to benefit more. Let us take a look at them in greater detail.

1. Seniors on Medicare

Medicare is the government-run health insurance program for seniors. It is notorious for offering sub-par coverage on everything from primary care to major medical. Medicare Part D, the portion of the program that ostensibly pays for prescription drugs, isn’t much better than basic Medicare coverage.

Unfortunately, Medicare Part D does not cover the full cost of every drug a consumer might need. And every year, it seems like the program drops more and more drugs from its coverage list. That leaves seniors paying for prescription drug coverage that offers questionable benefits. They are prime candidates for cheaper prescription medications purchased from Canadian pharmacies.

2. The Uninsured

Millions of people in the United States remain without health insurance despite Washington’s effort to change that through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These are people who, for whatever reason, either cannot afford health insurance or simply refuse to buy it. They may turn to an online Canadian pharmacy for a cheaper price than they can get here in the States. Because they pay out of pocket, they tend to always look for the best possible price.

3. Consumers Without Prescription Plans

In addition to the completely uninsured, there are those U.S. consumers whose employer-sponsored health insurance does not include prescription coverage. They are left to pay for their medications out of pocket. Like their uninsured counterparts, they are motivated by high prices to look elsewhere. Turning to an online Canadian pharmacy makes perfect sense for them.

4. Consumers with HSAs

Not all consumers who purchase medications from Canadian pharmacies are driven to do so by a lack of insurance. For example, it is not unusual for people who have both health insurance and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to shop around for cheap prescription medications. They know that it is sometimes possible to use HSA money to buy Canadian medications at a cheaper price than they can get in the U.S. – even with their insurance co-pay.

In simple terms, some co-pays on U.S. medications are still pretty high. If a consumer with an HSA can find a cheaper price through a Canadian pharmacy, funds from the tax-friendly account can be used to pay for prescriptions. The consumer saves money and enjoys HSA tax advantages at the same time.

5. Price-Sensitive Consumers

Last but not least, there is a core set of consumers that are especially sensitive to healthcare pricing. They may have health insurance plans that include top-of-the-line prescription medication coverage. Still, they do not see any logical reason to pay exponentially more just for the convenience of buying here in the States. They would rather help support online Canadian pharmacies willing to offer the same medications at a fraction of the cost.

Unnecessarily high drug prices are a reality in this country. There are ways to bring those prices down, if we have the stomach to follow through. But until that happens, there will be those consumers willing to have their prescriptions filled by online Canadian pharmacies. That is the way it should be in a free market economy.