Bilt Rewards, the loyalty program that allows renters to earn points when paying rent, just announced a new partnership with Walgreens that allows members to earn bonus Bilt points on pharmacy purchases.
Starting today, you can now earn up to 2x Bilt points on Walgreens purchases – or a flat 100 points with every prescription refill. That's in addition to the points you'll earn from spending on your credit card as you don't even need to use the *Bilt Mastercard* to earn rewards. So long as your eligible Visa, Mastercard, or American Express is linked in your Bilt Wallet, you're all set.
Here's how the the points earning shakes out:
- Earn 1x Bilt points per dollar spent on all in-store and online Walgreens purchases
- Earn 2x Bilt points per dollar spent on Walgreens-branded items
- Earn 100 Bilt points on prescription refills (up to 26 prescriptions per year)
What's more, Bilt's innovative system will automatically identify and flag items that are eligible for reimbursement with pre-tax healthcare dollars in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).
There are some exclusions to be aware of – things like alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, and pharmacy co-pays won't earn rewards – but for the most part, this partnership is great news for anyone who shops at Walgreens and further complements Bilt's neighborhood rewards offering. In addition to earning points on rent, Bilt members can also be rewarded when dining out, taking part in a fitness class, or even when grabbing a Lyft.
What's more, Bilt's innovative system will automatically identify and flag items that are eligible for reimbursement with pre-tax healthcare dollars in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).
It's clear that Bilt wants to be the loyalty program for all your day-to-day purchases … not just rent.
How it Works
You can start earning Bilt points on Walgreens purchases immediately – but if you want to earn a bonus on prescriptions, you'll first need to enable rewards within the Bilt app. To do this, simply go to the “Neighborhood” section of the Bilt app and select “Pharmacy” from the top menu option.
Here you'll automatically be prompted to enable rewards on prescription purchases.
If you're wondering whether Bilt points are worth sharing your private medical information, you're likely not alone. In an email accompanying this news, a Bilt spokesperson reiterated that “Bilt does not ever sell member data and that extends to this partnership.”
In an effort to make FSA and HSA funds easier to use, Bilt also unveiled an “Automatic Healthcare Savings” program along with this new point-earning collaboration.
According to Bilt, approximately $4 billion in FSA funds are lost each year because of the complexities in knowing what items qualify and the requirement to carry a separate, dedicated payment card. With this new partnership with Walgreens, Bilt members will now be notified which items from their shopping trip are eligible for reimbursement and can easily apply a credit to their original form of payment from their FSA (or HSA) account all in the Bilt app.
So now in addition to earning bonus Bilt points on Walgreens purchases, you can also easily reimburse yourself for qualifying healthcare purchases like bandaids and sunscreen.
Best Cards for Pharmacy Purchases
While the *Bilt Mastercard* is a solid no-annual fee card that's definitely worthy of a spot in most travelers wallets – renters and non-renters alike – there are better options for your spending at Walgreens.
The *chase freedom unlimited* earns 3% cashback (or 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards) at drugstores making it an excellent option for purchases at Walgreens. Being able to earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on top of the up to 2x Bilt points you're earning through this new partnership is an excellent bonus.
Best of all, the Freedom Unlimited is a no-annual fee card that when paired with a more premium Chase card, like the *chase sapphire preferred*, unlocks Chase's full stable of transfer partners and makes your points even more valuable.
Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited!
Learn more about the *chase freedom unlimited*
Another solid choice is the Citi Custom Cash® Card because it earns 5% cashback (or 5x ThankYou points) on purchases made in your top eligible spending category (including drugstores) each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent.
Like the Freedom Unlimited, the Citi Custom Cash doesn't charge an annual fee and you'll need another Citi card in your wallet if you want access Citi's transfer partners.
Learn more about the Citi Custom Cash® Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
Bottom Line
Bilt Rewards just announced a new partnership with Walgreens, designed to make healthcare and everyday purchases more rewarding. With this new collaboration, you'll earn up to 2x Bilt points per dollar spent on Walgreens purchases and 100 Bilt points for every prescription refill.
Best of all, this new partnership is available to all Bilt members, even those without a Bilt co-branded credit card.