‘I’m canceling’: Chronically ill woman pays for CVS ExtraCare Plus program. Then she catches them giving her fewer coupons than her mom
CVS introduced ExtraCare Plus, a paid loyalty program, in 2019. For a monthly or annual fee, CVS says ExtraCare Plus members get perks like 20% off CVS Health brand items, free same-day delivery on eligible prescriptions, free shipping on orders over $10, and access to a pharmacist helpline around the clock.
For customers who shop at CVS often, or rely on delivery because getting to the store isn’t always possible, it seemed like a solid deal.
But according to one chronically ill woman on TikTok, paying for ExtraCare Plus may actually mean getting less of what CVS customers value most: coupons.
In a video that’s now circulating widely, TikTok creator @hereditary_angioedema says she joined ExtraCare Plus specifically because of her health needs. What she didn’t expect was to discover that her paid account appeared to receive far fewer discounts than her mom’s free one.
What Was the Difference Between the Two Accounts?
“Hi, this message is for CVS,” she begins in the video. “Consumer Value Store. I need to talk to you.”
She explains why she signed up in the first place. “I joined your ExtraCare Plus program to help me since I’m chronically ill,” she says. Free shipping and same-day delivery made a real difference on days she couldn’t leave the house.
Then she addresses what she’d been hearing online. “Word around the street is you’re giving less coupons to people that join your ExtraCare Plus program,” she says. At first, she didn’t believe it. “I thought, nah, she wouldn’t do that.”
So she decided to test it.
She starts by showing her own CVS cart on screen, filled with items like deodorant, soap, micellar water, and toothbrushes. Some sales are already applied, including the 20% ExtraCare Plus discount on CVS-brand items. Her total comes out to $38.05.
“So I called my mom,” she says. “I’m like, ‘Hey, mom, can I log into your CVS account?’”
Her mom, who uses the free ExtraCare program, agrees. The TikToker rings up the exact same items on her mom’s account.
“And I’m like, wow,” she says. “There’s a lot of coupons on these that I don’t have.”
She points out that she didn’t even apply those extra coupons to her mom’s order. Even so, the difference is clear. After her mom’s available coupons, the total drops to $17.74.
The side-by-side comparison is hard to ignore: $38.05 on the paid account versus $17.74 on the free one.
She Then Shows Her Spending
“I’m gonna show you how much my medications cost,” she says, flashing a year-to-date figure of $882,311.59. Insurance covers the bulk of it, but her point is clear.
“You’re getting enough money out of me,” she says. “You’re getting enough money out of me to be able to give me a couple little coupons, don’t you think?”
She frames the issue as more than a bad deal. “It is so disrespectful of you to get people to use a paid service who are, for me in my instance, chronically ill, or maybe a mother, or someone else that could really benefit from your delivery services,” she says, “and you stop giving them as many coupons.”
By her math, the $10 monthly ExtraBuck that comes with ExtraCare Plus doesn’t make up for what she’s missing. “I’m already $16 less in coupons because of the service,” she says.
Her conclusion is blunt. “Needless to say, I’m gonna be canceling my ExtraCare Plus membership because it costs me more money.”
She signs off with a line that stuck with viewers: “Thank you for the disservice you’re doing to moms, chronically ill people, or anyone that could really actually benefit from using your program. Have the day you deserve.”
Are Other Customers Seeing the Same Thing?
On Reddit’s r/CVS, one user described a similar shift after subscribing. They said that as a free user, they regularly received 30% to 40% off coupons. After subscribing, those offers dropped to 5% to 20%. Like the TikToker, they compared their account to a family member’s free one and decided to cancel.
In the comments, another person wrote, “Canceled mine at the advice of a random on FB last month. Lo and behold I started getting decent CRTs again last week.”
Facebook groups are filled with similar questions and complaints. One user wrote that their coupons suddenly stopped after weeks of consistent offers, even though they weren’t on the paid tier. Another said they skipped ExtraCare Plus entirely after hearing from a friend who felt the subscription reduced her coupons.
As one commenter summed it up, “If I pay $5 a month and I get $10, I would rather have my coupons than really just getting $10.”
Commenters React
On TikTok, viewers didn’t hold back.
“1000% less coupons. I’m canceling mine,” one person wrote.
“With all the money you’re worth to them they should GIVE you the deodorant and toothbrushes,” another joked.
Others used the moment to plug alternatives. “Local independent pharmacies are what’s up! Many offer free delivery too,” one commenter said.
@hereditary_angioedema @CVS Pharmacy I joined your extra care plus program only to be given less discounts while paying for a subscription service. The people who can actually benefit from using your paid service are then expected to pay for money for goods? Shame on you CVS as usual. #cvs #cvsfinds #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Just HAE Things
And some shared their own timelines. “The first month of EC+ and I got great coupons,” one person wrote. “Since then, three months later, I get jack.”
We’ve reached out to CVS via email to ask how coupon distribution works across ExtraCare and ExtraCare Plus accounts, and whether paid members receive fewer offers by design. We’ve also contacted @hereditary_angioedema on TikTok.
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