According to your link, you can get 3 generic inhalers for $165 with a coupon. We can both agree that 3 times 55 is 165 right? And the full price of 3 generic inhalers is $945. We can both agree that 3 times 315 is $945.
Now generic inhalers would cost less than non-generic inhalers, so the cost of three of those would be something above $945. 500 is less than 945, so they were actually offering a discount to get to 500.
A better deal could be had if he went to the doctor and got a generic inhaler prescription, but no one explained that to him. They just told him that the price was now above $500. The pharmacist who was supposed to help him navigate a complex system did not. There is a fair argument to be made that the pharmacist was paid kickbacks to not do his job.
Maybe there is a new math out there that 3 times 55 is 55, or that 3 times 315 is also 55. After all we are being told that we can cut one or two percent and get 30% savings. Next we will be told that 1+1=3.