GET IT TOGETHER

Im going to stop being smart.

By being stupid this poster got a gift card.

I have to stop being smart. I'm smart enough to ask the pharmacist
what that means.

The poster is too stupid to do so.

She got a gift card. I don't.

I'm going to start being stupid.

See I think this would be a perfectly valid complaint, which other
people would agree with, IF the OP had opened her mouth and just asked
what a PA was.

I agree they should have kept track of your perscriptions better and
known that your husband picked up the other one!

Well for all you people out there that had negative stuff to
say....CVS agreed with ME!!!!!!! They are sending me a gift card and
are talking with the pharmacy manager about this matter. SO LOOKS
LIKE I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE P*SSED!!!!!!

Ok, here is your problem. You let yourself run out of mediation
before going to the pharmacy to pick up your refill. Why do people do
this. It makes the pharmacy and doctors crazy, trust me, when you
have someone who isn't responsible enough to call in 3-4 days BEFORE
you run out of medication, then wants everything done NOW. If you had
been responsible and called your prescription in before you ran out,
your pharmacy and doctor would have the time to do the prior
authorization. Trust me, it's time consuming. For one, the pharmacy
has to send a fax or call the doctors office to let them know the
problem (ie: the insurance has refused to pay for the medication, and
that the doctor has a choice...either call the insurance and explain
why this medication is needed for the patient and why other formulary
{medication that is covered normally under the insurance} medications
are not adequate for you, OR the doctor could change the medication to
another, covered, medication.). Most doctors that I deal with don't
want to be bothered with calling the insurance and will change the
medication. But, most doctors will require up to 72 hours to return a
call to the pharmacy.

That said, you should have asked what a PA means while you were at the
pharmacy, or asked on the phone. Did you explain that you were out of
medication? Probably not, or you would have gotten loaners. In my
opinion, you should have been charged for the 3-4 pills, then
reimbursed when and IF the insurance authorized the prior auth. Why
should the pharmacy give pills away for free when there is no
guarantee that they will get paid for them. By the way, what
medication was it? If it was a narcotic, the pharmacy won't loan.
It's against the law. If it's so important, call your doctor and make
sure his staff does the authorization. This is not the pharmacies
responsibility. Better yet, ask the doc for a different medication
that won't need the auth.

About your son's medication, if your husband was to pick up
medication, shouldn't he know what he is picking up? Why pick up 1
med, if there should be 2? Did you call in the medication at the same
time? Did the doctor have to be called? The meds could have been
separated and put into 2 bags. Yes, the clerk should have checked,
but if your husband didn't know what was to be picked up, it's both
his and the clerks fault.

Letter-writer, I'm with you on this one. I can't stand when people
throw around acronyms like "PA" and expect everyone not in their line
of work to know what they're talking about. Are people so lazy now
that they can't say an entire word or phrase and can only say letters?

If you can't even ask simple questions, then you need to take
responsibility for your condition and do something. There is no excuse
for driving back and forth to the pharmacy five times and getting het
up because you expect someone else to read your mind.

Goodness

Why didn't you ask what "PA" meant when you were at the pharmacy?

The pharmacist you spoke to should have definitely slowed down and
explained what was happening in more detail. That is definitely true.
And it does sound like there was some disorganization and confusion
going on in the pharmacy itself as well. But that doesn't excuse the
letter writer from taking responsibility for her own life and asking
questions to clarify when she doesn't understand.

Wait, her husband left for the pharmacy with two sons and came home
with only one? Huh??? Did I read that right??

Boy, that gives a whole new meaning to skyrocketing prescription
costs! This lady had to sacrifice one of her children for a
medication!

I also don't understand the whole "prior authorization" thing? Is
that a requirement of the insurance or the Dr.? I alwasy thought the
Dr. writing the prescription for you was the "prior authorization."
Guess not. . .

While I feel your frustration, I can't help but think something is
missing here. Either you didn't ask anyone what was going on and just
kept coming back, expecting the situation to change, or the
pharmacists are completely incompetent. Since there are stat
licensing boards for all pharmacists and pharmacy techs, my money is
on the former.

I know you are upset, but you can't write a letter like this and
expect it to be taken seriously.

NT

Please keep in mind that people in the medical field sometimes forget
that not everyone knows what all the letters and lingo we throw around
mean. From now on, please,make them slow down and explain. You are
paying them for their service. A good healthcare worker KNOWS how to
explain to a patient.

WOW!!! I am new at this whole complaint thing, I can't believe people
would be so rude to me and basicaly tell me I'm a dummy for not saying
where this CVS is, I didn't know I needed to put it and as for not
being more assertive, it's their job to explain, I have social anxiety
and have a problem just being in a public place no less starting a
confrontation with a dozen people standing there. I oringaly thought
that I knew what they where talking about, and when I went back she
showed me a paper that had my insurance info and said expired on it.
They didn't do their job and thats what it comes down to. As for
switching pharmacies, we have a total of eight prescriptions montly
comming from there, its almost more of a hassle to switch it. Anyways
who are you to judge?????

So where is this CVS?? How can CVS do anything about a problem when
you didn't even tell them what CVS is was???

Also, if a clerk (or anyone) uses terminology that you don't
understand, ASK!!!! Be more assertive.

Change pharmacies. No compensation.