Quote:
Originally Posted by TwinTurboViper
Recently had a "prescription" filled as I do often for a 90 day supply of "Trelegy Inhaler" which administers single does (30) from each inhaler. I have been getting this inhaler for the last 2 years with no problem until this week
I had requested a 90 day supply ( 3 inhalers / 30 does each inhaler) as I have done many times before but now after going over to TRY and correct the problem was told I need to change prescription on "quanity" from 90 to 180 in order to get "3" inhalers.
I told the lady at counter (after calling I went over there) that I wanted THREE..... not ONE inhalers since I was getting it for 90 days and the fact that I had always gotten 3 at a time (90 day supply) every other time but she REFUSED to give me more than "one" even as I had called Dr back to again tell them I wanted 3 NOT ONE !!
She told me to call Dr back and request 180 in "quantity" instead of 90 which made absolutely no sense and until now have never had a problem getting it filled for 90 day period.
It ceases to amaze me as much as I argued with her how stupid this was and have since switched pharmacy's and will no longer get my prescriptions filled at Walmart. Also the fact that my wife was supposed to get 90 pills one time and got home and there were only 30.... but after returning they did make up the difference.
Just want people to be aware of watching what's going on as Walmart among other GIANT retailers are not to be taken for granted. I still cannot understand how I was told to change my "quantity" for 90 to 180 when there are only 90 individual does!!
Has common sense completely gone out the window?
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Per the insurance companies, Trelegy Inhalers must be billed by the number of blisters per package (#60) not the number of doses per package (#30). Therefore a 90 day supply cannot be written as a quantity of 90 but must be written as a quantity of 180. Actually the prescriber can write a 90 day Rx for this one of 3 ways -
- dispense a 90 day supply
- dispense 3 inhalers, or
- dispense #180
By writing just #90 as the quantity, the pharmacist cannot dispense more than one inhaler at a time since even 2 inhalers would be equivalent to a quantity of #120, more than the quantity written.
I know this sounds ridiculous, most pharmacists and prescribers feel the same way, but unfortunately we are at the mercy of the insurance companies who pay us, so we have to abide by their way of doing things. If not, the option is an audit, which they certainly would do on a medication as expensive as Trelegy and every dime they paid to the pharmacy would be taken back.
I'm sorry you had to leave the pharmacy so frustrated. If I had been working there, my general practice would have been to offer to call the doctor's office for you.
I hope this explanation is at least helpful.