[newgirl]

Walgreens has been hell last few months too, one pharmacist is so rude and horrible I know 3 that have changed because of her. I plan on it too.

[Notsocrates]

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?

A 90-day supply is just that. If an MDI, metered dose inhaler, gives you 90 doses, you get one. If it only gives you 30, you get three. Ask to speak to the pharmacist. Sounds like a misunderstanding.

[NY2TV]

My insurance company will only let me fill 30 day supply of meds locally. For 90 day supply I must use mail order. Check out requirements for your insurance company.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Really???? They tell physicians that??? And you came to this conclusion how????
Bottom line, you are clueless about what you're talking about, Medicare has no such requirement.
Also, Medicare does not dictate what a doctor can charge, only what they will reimburse. That's why concierge physicians do not participate in Medicare. (or any other insurance for that matter)

Agree. The post makes no sense and is obviously misinformed. How can medicare dictate how many patients a dr has to see. So, i guess the poster talks fast when they go to the dr so they dont go over their 15 minute visit. Lol

[Billy1]

I agree, it's poor math and their right to make a decision. Had the same problem with Navy pharmacy. I now use escripts have to pay postage, but it's great, and meds come to mailbox. (escripts = Express Scripts)

[Billy1]

What you see on a printed pharmacy list, whether medicare, military, ect. is changed almost as soon as the printed list is published.

[ice queen]

I also use Trelegy. Walgreen on Bernard Road.They never give me a hard time. They are all very nice. Maybe you should try them.They let me choose whether I a want 1 months supply or 3 months. Hope this helps.

[ice queen]

I also use Trelegy. Walgreen on Bernsed. Road.They never give me a hard time. They are all very nice. Maybe you should try them.They let me choose whether I a want 1 months supply or 3 months. Hope this helps.

[Bonnevie]

as a retired pharmacist, I can't count the number of times I took abuse because I had to follow the law or the insurance company's policies. for some reason, people think a pharmacist should disobey the law just because they are inconvenienced. it's something I thankfully left 8 years ago and never miss it. Believe me, all the pharmacist and technicians want is to fill a prescription and dispense it promptly. in retail, they are expected to do so many a day. We hated when there was a problem with quantity, or formulary, or that it was too early to fill, etc. not only did it slow things down but we were sure to endure the brunt of the patient's abuse even if it was an error in prescribing. to talk about the technicians as "90 day wonders" is the type of disrespect that was dealt with on a daily basis when our hands were tied by how it's submitted to insurance. Frankly, having a health care system dictated by insurance companies and employers is archaic, but that's for another discussion.

[stebooo]

One should always check their dosages I check them actually before I even leave the pharmacy.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Re: common sense.
So many of us go through the same thing. I assume are on medicare. The medicare preferred suppliers are a very mass huge retailer, the one you mention.
Two grocery stores that sell drugs and a drug store that sells groceries. Your prescription, generic? Who knows where it is made? Who checks that it is what it says it is? You are betting your health on a long chain of????????

Welcome to mass medicine. On medicare, even your doctor is told what he/she can charge and they are told they must see 4 patients an hour. That is 15 minutes each

You know where it's made, because the manufacturer's name is right on your prescription label. For Walgreens' labels it's directly under the name of the medication itself.

For instance, my current batch of generic levothyroxine is manufactured by Amneal, and is manufactured in the USA.

It took me less than 4 minutes to check the bottle in my bathroom medicine cabinet, scan the wikipedia entry for the manufacturer's name, discover that they have plants in 3 different countries, then do a google search for "amneal levothyroxine country of origin" and see that this particular drug is made in the USA.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by BlackhawksFan

While the Rx employee may or may not have properly explained and handled the event, we weren't there, we don't know, the item you wanted is a CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE and they just can't arbitrarily change the amount they dispense to you. They're required to follow the script.

The fact that this is lost on you stuns me. Walmart isn't your corner Oxy dealer.

Trelegy is a combination of inhaled corticosteroid, long acting beta-agonist and anticholinergic. It is NOT a "controlled substance". However, the pharmacist still cannot change the amount dispensed without contacting the physician

[LG999]

Sometimes it is an individual store that causes illogical & frustrating scenarios. I have had similar situations w the cvs near my house. Switched to rite aid & all problems disappeared. I was just fed up & switched chains but i think i would have been fine just switching stores.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

My math surmising was incorrect. I don't understand the blister pack stuff so I apologize to the pharmacy person at Walmart. Sorry.

Just like the OP, your math actually does make sense. It's the insurance companies that often don't, but unfortunately they dictate the rules and the provider either follows them or doesn't get paid.

Originally Posted by J1ceasar

What we have here is a problem in communication . Not a fault of Medicare or Walmart . Or you . Just plain stupidity to of regulations.

Good summary of the situation. It seems the pharmacy failed to communicate properly to the patient. Again, the extra step to me would have been to offer to contact the physician's office for the patient rather than leave the patient frustrated in trying to understand a situation that is difficult to explain due to nonsensical insurance regulations.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by ice queen

I also use Trelegy. Walgreen on Bernard Road.They never give me a hard time. They are all very nice. Maybe you should try them.They let me choose whether I a want 1 months supply or 3 months. Hope this helps.

The only way a patient can choose whether they want a one month supply or a 3 month supply is if the doctor wrote the prescription for a 3 month supply to begin with.

Upon patient request, a pharmacist can dispense less than what the doctor ordered, but never more than. If you brought in a prescription for a one month supply and the pharmacist filled it for 3 months, one of 2 things happened. The pharmacist either broke the law, or more likely, he/she called your physician and got a 3 month prescription for you. If it was the latter, please be sure to thank them.