Got stiffed by my pharmacist once again, left me 60 days short (“we’ll call you when the rest gets in”). Big national chain. Wondering if any of you guys use an online (US or Canadian based) pharmacy and what you think. Reliable? I can’t go to sea without this stuff. It’s not a psych med or a pain pill or a benzo and it’s not schedule, so I don’t get why they keep coming up short.
I’m going to ask for six month refills from my doc so I don’t get into this jam again (currently 90)
Thanks in advance, guys. I know I’m not the only one juggling a couple of scripts. LYNS.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;181974]I’m not used to insurance companies giving more than a month at a time.[/QUOTE]
They’ll do it if the script is written for it…but they get fussy if you need to pick up before the periodicity ends and in our line of work, that’s often the case.
Of course I can pay cash, but the cost is ridiculous out of pocket.
My doc knows what line of work I’m in and will write my prescription accordingly, he even sent a temp RX to a Walgreens in Staten Island once when I ran out before we got back to home port. My insurance company is the only one who won’t let me get more than 30 days at a time. If I get my RX filled and then a week or 2 later the pharmacy will refill it most of the time. They have called before and told me that I wasn’t due yet and couldn’t fill it. When I explained that I worked on a boat and wouldn’t be able to pick up my refill when it came due they changed their mind and went ahead filled it for me. Same thing, not a pain killer or narcotic, just plain old BP pills. I wish I could get 90 days RXs again.
My best experience has been with a large regional HMO (they just merged with Kaiser) that ran their own mail-order pharmacy. May not help you now but but if you can configure your future health care so that the insurer and pharmacy are the same entity it may be easier.
[QUOTE=renoun;182031]My best experience has been with a large regional HMO (they just merged with Kaiser) that ran their own mail-order pharmacy. May not help you now but but if you can configure your future health care so that the insurer and pharmacy are the same entity it may be easier.[/QUOTE]
My insurance uses “express scripts” which is their mail order… they actually prefer to have the recurring stuff done in 90 day increments. I think this is a way for them to control the cost. You may want to check with your insurance to see if they have this type of relationship with an online place.
I’ve used mail order pharmacies before, and they too can run out of certain drugs. I had to wait over a month to get 1 and ran out. Dr. called in a new script to a local drug store and I got some there to hold me over until the others finally came. Fortunately I wasn’t sailing offshore at the time. My insurance at the time gave a 1/3 discount for using them. No discount under current plan.
[QUOTE=renoun;182031]My best experience has been with a large regional HMO (they just merged with Kaiser) that ran their own mail-order pharmacy. May not help you now but but if you can configure your future health care so that the insurer and pharmacy are the same entity it may be easier.[/QUOTE]
I have BC/BS at the moment. That’s a thought- will check with them. Thanks! (to all who replied)