Prevent me from being an SC

[Mark Healey]

I just came down wtih an ear infection, don't know how. Amazingly I was able to see the doctor today, the same day I called. Anyway I went and left with a perscription for some antibiotic drops. I then go to the pharmacy and they tell me it will be half an hour. It was actually an hour. When you are in pain it seems like 20. It took all the self restraint I have not to go SC.

Any time I've had to get a perscription filled, this has happened. I pay cash the drops were in the factory package. As near as I can tell all they had to do was take them off the shelf, type up a label and take my money.

I suspect that the stores are cutting costs by not having enough people in the pharmacy.

Any pharmicist out there to tell me what's what?

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

If there is any place that can turn the most saintly among us into the suckiest customers to ever walk the face of the multi-verse...it's the Pharm Chain Stores.

Went into one to fill my wife's script. It's one of those meds that her insurance company requires the pharm to play mother-may-I to get filled. Meaning that the pharm sends it to the insurance company, the insurance company bugs the doctor who has to fill out a form and fax it back saying "Yes you asshole, the person really needs the meds" then the insurance company tells the pharm that yes you can fill it out.

This can take a few days since the meds were not critical.

Anywho, hoops are jumped through and the insurance company says that the standard dose is 2 day and not the three day dose that the dr. perscribed.

Here comes the part that almost drove me not only to the point of being a sucky customer, but darn near the point of jumping over the counter, grabing the person we were dealing with and beating her head against the counter to beat the stupid out of her.

I ask how much would the meds be if I just flat out paid for it. She tells me that I can't buy the meds since the insurance company said that we can't have the three day dose.

Back and forth we go...I trying to explain to her that people without insurance can just buy the meds a licensed medical professional perscribes...her unable to get around the fact that the beancounters at the allmighty insurance company said that we were bad for even trying to get what the doctor ordered.

Eventually I get to the point where I say the following. "Listen you stupid [censored]! (not my best moment) Are you actually telling me that if I didn't have [censored]ing insurance, you would refuse to fill any script that I bring to you even if I have the [censored]ing money to [censored]ing pay for it?"

"Uhm...no...if you don't have insurance you can just outright buy..."

"Then tell me how much the shit costs! If it's not too bad I'll just ignore the insurance company and [censored]ing buy it with my Visa Card!"

She then tells me how much it is, I find out that it's only $20 more than my co-pay and I pay for the full dose and leave...at least try to. The manager met me on my way out and escorted me out.

I'm honestly not sure if this was a get out till you calm down, or a full out get the smeg out and never come back. Not that I would since I've heard that other people have had similar dealings with this particular store. One complaint was from a person who makes in excess of $175k per year between him and his wife who doesn't bother with insurance since they're freaking rich, being told that he can't have his dibeties meds since he doesn't have insurance...in spite of the fact that he could pay for a 90-day supply with his petty cash.

[Becks]

As near as I can tell all they had to do was take them off the shelf, type up a label and take my money.

Maybe they have a first come/call in, first served policy?

[air914]

Ooh I hate playing that "mother may I" game w/ insurance companies - I blame them more than the pharamcy people..... if the doctor wrote the script for you then OBVIOUSLY that's what he wants you to take.... if not, then the next time you go back to the doctor to get a refill, he'll change the prescription - I mean as long as you aren't going to overdose on 3 pills instead of 2 - I don't know maybe I'm not making sense - I had to always do this w/ birth control meds..... I do the three packs and then have a period - so you just continually take the meds instead of taking the "sugar pill" row you are supposed to take during a period.... so you just don't have a period for 3 months.... anyway it was always like pulling teeth to tell the pharmacist that I needed that prescription NOW and that my doctor wrote it out to be 28 days or whatever and NOT longer like the insurance company says - anyway it was a mess - I understand the frustration!

[jetstream]

You might try asking the doctor's staff to phone in or fax your Rx. Most of them will be more than happy to do so.

[skeptic53]

If there is any place that can turn the most saintly among us into the suckiest customers to ever walk the face of the multi-verse...it's the Pharm Chain Stores.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess "Wrong-Aid"?

[Kiwi]

my advice, try and go to a smaller family owned pharmacy rather than a big brand multi store pharmacy

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess "Wrong-Aid"?

Nope, it was CVS.

[AFpheonix]

If it's anything like our stores can be, we don't get tech hours until we're so busy that we curl up in the fetal position in the corner.
Our store is ok now, corporate finally figured out that we can make them more money if we're able to service customers in a timely manner by having enough staff on.

If it was a busy evening, then 30 minutes is not out of line for a script, if there was a lot of others dropped off ahead of yours. Also, if the doctor screwed something up on the script, we'd have to page him (if it's after 5pm) and wait for the numbnut to call us back. Although typically if that's the issue, then we at least tell you if we see you in the waiting area.

If I see you actively waiting for your script, I will try ang get you the heck out of there as fast as possible. You didn't mention whether they were dealing with a lot of other customers at the counter, drive thru, and if the phone was ringing off the hook? This is my standard evening. Not to mention the legions of people that come up to show the pharmacist whatever wierd rash they have to get an opinion on whatever over the counter cream they should get, pulling them away from checking the scripts I have piling up for them.

Also, sometimes when we bill to insurance, the connection between our computer and the insurance company's goes bad, so we cannot get a price for you. If it's taking way too long, I'll try calling to get a copay (although I can't always coax a number from some of these people...sigh...), or if you've had it before, I can just charge what you had last time.

Oh, and the idiot who wouldn't sell if your insurance doesn't cover...egads, I'd probably strangle her if she was one of my coworkers. There's some mystery person somewhere that keeps cashing out issues that are really expensive, instead of checking with the patient to make sure they want the thing before filling it, and not sending a note to the doctor to try and either get them to change to something covered or get a prior auth. Whenever I catch whoever it is.......