Pharmacies in Waco: A Baylor Student's Complete Guide to Prescriptions & Healthcare

Every Baylor student eventually needs a pharmacy — whether it's filling a prescription, getting a flu shot, or finding out which one takes your Baylor StudentBlue insurance. The good news is Waco has solid options, including one on campus that accepts StudentBlue directly and a CVS that's 0.4 miles from 19Eleven's front door — walkable in 8 minutes. Here's every Waco pharmacy worth knowing, organized by proximity and use case.

The On-Campus Pharmacy: Start Here If You're on StudentBlue

Baylor University Health Services Pharmacy

• Address: McLane Student Life Center, 2nd Floor, 209 Speight Ave, Waco TX 76706
• Hours: Mon–Fri until 5pm (closed weekends)
• Phone: (254) 710-4991
• Website: healthservices.web.baylor.edu/services/pharmacy
• Distance from 19Eleven: ~0.5 miles (10-minute walk)
• Accepts StudentBlue: Yes — directly, no claims needed

If you're enrolled in Baylor's StudentBlue health plan, this is your most seamless pharmacy option. It bills StudentBlue directly at the in-network rate, and if your prescription was written by a Baylor Health Services provider, it routes here automatically. The pharmacists know Baylor students, know the StudentBlue formulary, and can explain your coverage on the spot.

The main limitation: it closes at 5pm on weekdays and doesn't open on weekends. For anything you need outside those hours, you'll need one of the options below.

The Walkable Option: CVS on S 5th St

For 19Eleven residents, CVS at 820 S 5th Street is the single most practical off-campus pharmacy choice. It's 0.4 miles away — walk south on S 8th St, cut over to S 5th — and it stays open until 11pm every day.

CVS Pharmacy — 820 S 5th St

• Address: 820 S 5th St, Waco TX 76706
• Hours: Mon–Sun 7am–11pm
• Phone: (254) 296-0175
• Distance from 19Eleven: 0.4 miles (~8-minute walk)
• Accepts StudentBlue: Yes

Here's the detail that matters most: CVS/Caremark is the prescription benefits administrator for Baylor's StudentBlue plan. That means CVS is the most cost-effective off-campus option for StudentBlue users — your prescriptions process at the negotiated plan rate, not retail price.

Beyond prescriptions, this location offers flu shots and COVID boosters (no appointment needed, though scheduling online saves time), MinuteClinic walk-in clinical services, drive-thru pickup, and a full pharmacy. At 11pm closing, it's also the latest-open pharmacy near campus — which matters when a doctor's visit runs into the evening and you need to fill a script before tomorrow.

If you're at 19Eleven without a car, CVS on S 5th is your pharmacy.

HEB Pharmacy: Combine Your Grocery Run

If you're already heading to HEB, adding a prescription pickup costs you zero extra trips.

HEB Pharmacy

• Address: 1821 S Valley Mills Dr, Waco TX 76711
• Distance from 19Eleven: ~3 miles
• Accepts most insurance and GoodRx

HEB Pharmacy accepts most major insurance plans, and they're also a GoodRx partner. The practical value here: compare your insurance copay against the GoodRx price before you fill — for common generics like allergy medications, certain antibiotics, or generic birth control, GoodRx sometimes wins. The HEB staff will run the check if you ask.

Circle Drug: Local Independent with Delivery

Circle Drug is for students who want a pharmacist who knows their name — or who need prescriptions delivered to their apartment.

Circle Drug

• Address: 3211 Robinson Dr, Waco TX 76706
• Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9am–12pm
• Phone: (254) 662-0774
• Website: circledrug.com
• Distance from 19Eleven: ~1.5 miles

This is a locally owned independent that's operated in Waco for years. They offer immunizations, medication synchronization (all your refills line up to the same pickup date, which is genuinely useful if you take multiple prescriptions), durable medical equipment, and delivery service.

Delivery is the key differentiator. If you're sick, exhausted during finals, or just don't have a car, Circle Drug will bring your prescription to you. For students managing chronic conditions, the personalized service and sync program makes a real difference.

Walgreens Pharmacy

A standard Walgreens option if you have Walgreens-specific rewards or plan benefits.

Walgreens Pharmacy

• Address: 1520 S Valley Mills Dr, Waco TX 76711
• Distance from 19Eleven: ~3 miles
• Accepts most insurance; GoodRx accepted; drive-thru available

Important note for StudentBlue users: Walgreens is not in the CVS/Caremark network, so you'll pay out-of-network rates if you use your StudentBlue plan here. For StudentBlue prescriptions, stick to the campus pharmacy or CVS on S 5th.

Sam's Club Pharmacy: Best Prices on Generics

If you're uninsured or your plan has high copays, Sam's Club Pharmacy has some of the lowest generic drug prices in Waco.

Sam's Club Pharmacy

• Address: 801 Hewitt Dr, Waco TX 76712
• Distance from 19Eleven: ~5 miles

You need a Sam's Club membership to use this pharmacy — but Baylor Dining Services sells Sam's Club memberships at a student discount, making it accessible. Many common generics (metformin, sertraline, generic birth control, lisinopril) cost significantly less here than at national chains. If you're regularly filling a maintenance medication and your copay is high, the membership pays for itself quickly.

StudentBlue Pharmacy Coverage: The Quick Version

If you're on Baylor's StudentBlue plan, here's what you need to know:

• In-network administrator: CVS/Caremark — CVS locations are in-network
• On campus: Baylor Health Services Pharmacy bills StudentBlue directly (most seamless)
• Off campus: CVS at 820 S 5th St is your best bet — walk there in 8 minutes from 19Eleven
• Mail order: CVS Caremark offers 90-day supply by mail for maintenance medications, which typically costs less per dose than monthly retail fills
• Formulary: Not every drug is covered at the same cost tier — check healthservices.web.baylor.edu/insurance for the current copay schedule before assuming your prescription is free or cheap

If your parents carry you on their insurance, check whether their plan covers Texas providers out-of-network. Most major PPO plans do, usually at a higher copay than in-network.

GoodRx: Worth Checking Before You Pay

GoodRx is a free app and website that searches discount prices across nearby pharmacies. Sometimes — especially for older generic medications — the GoodRx price is lower than your insurance copay. Use it by showing the coupon code at the pharmacy counter before they process your prescription.

GoodRx is accepted at CVS, HEB, Walgreens, and most other Waco pharmacies. You can use it without insurance, or use it instead of your insurance on specific drugs where GoodRx wins.

Best use cases: common antibiotics, generic antihistamines, older generic blood pressure or mental health medications, and any drug that's been off-patent for years. Download the app and check before every new prescription — it takes 10 seconds.

Pharmacy by Situation

Need	Best Option
StudentBlue prescription	Baylor Health Services (on campus) or CVS S 5th St
After 5pm or weekends	CVS S 5th St (open until 11pm)
No car, quick pickup	CVS S 5th St (0.4 miles from 19Eleven, walkable)
Delivery to apartment	Circle Drug
Grocery + pharmacy combined	HEB Pharmacy
Lowest generic prices	Sam's Club Pharmacy

Common Student Pharmacy Timing

• Flu shots (September–October): CVS MinuteClinic and HEB both offer walk-in flu shots covered by most insurance. Book online to skip the line.
• New prescriptions from Baylor Health Services: Route to Health Services Pharmacy if it's before 5pm; CVS S 5th if evening or weekend.
• Prescription refills: Set up auto-refill so you don't run out mid-semester. Circle Drug's sync service lines everything up to one date.
• COVID antigen tests: OTC at all pharmacies, no prescription.
• After-hours emergencies: CVS closes at 11pm. For true overnight medication needs, see the Waco urgent care guide — some urgent care centers have dispensing capabilities.

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Living at 19Eleven means every essential service — from urgent care to dentists to eye doctors to the grocery store — is within a few miles. The CVS at 820 S 5th is one of those rare things you can walk to from your apartment when you're feeling too sick to drive.

Want to see what else makes 19Eleven practical to live in? Schedule a tour or browse floor plans to find the right fit for your budget.