Personal Finance

Pfizer lost its patent on the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor on November 30 — which spells big savings for many of the 8.7 million Americans who take the medication. The patent’s expiration means that cheaper, generic versions will soon hit pharmacy shelves. Currently, a month’s supply of Lipitor costs $174.71 on average. For those with health insurance, the co-pay can run as high as $49. That co-pay will drop to $10 for generic Lipitor, and the off-the-shelf price for the uninsured will fall by as much as 90 percent.

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To see who stands to benefit most from the switch, we mapped the cost of a month’s supply of Lipitor in more than 300 cities around the country. East Coasters are in luck: Lipitor generally costs the most in their region, so they can expect to pocket the most money if they switch to a generic version.