Anyone use a mail order pharmacy?

[iwaseeyore]

Let's clear something up here. Mailorder pharmacies are for MAINTENANCE Medications only not anything for "acute symptoms"

You need the pill, an alpha or beta blocker or high blood pressure med it's yoiur best route.

If you need something like an antibiotic or pain med you need to go to a pharmacy.

Unless you are lookin at your SPAM and trying to have a good time.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I use a mail order for my dd's genotropin, 3 month supply. Never had a problem. I do however have to keep up appts. with her Doc because they do require a new Rx faxed over to them everytime.

All other scripts are gotten at Walgreen's.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by iwaseeyore
Let's clear something up here. Mailorder pharmacies are for MAINTENANCE Medications only not anything for "acute symptoms"

You need the pill, an alpha or beta blocker or high blood pressure med it's yoiur best route.

Cost wise... yes. But when you need that antibiotic or pain med, the pharmacy might not be there to service you.... due to the loss of revenues from you and your neighbor using mail order for your maintenance meds. It's all about volume... if the pharmacy fills fewer prescriptions, either they go out of business or raise their prices.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Cost wise... yes. But when you need that antibiotic or pain med, the pharmacy might not be there to service you.... due to the loss of revenues from you and your neighbor using mail order for your maintenance meds. It's all about volume... if the pharmacy fills fewer prescriptions, either they go out of business or raise their prices.

The bottom line is that we live in a market economy, and as such, the market determines which businesses will succeed and which ones won't. There will always be a need for some type of brick and mortar pharmacy, period. It will most likely be chain stores rather than the mom and pop operations, but hey, that's capitalism for you. Items and services become obsolete, and it's up to the owners to adapt. If not, we'd still have buggy whip factories, would we not?

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by CJMickeyMouse
due to the loss of revenues from you and your neighbor using mail order for your maintenance meds.

People aren't doing mail order to spite you. We do it because our insurance company requires it. It's also a hell of a lot more convenient than having to stop at the pharmacy and it saves us a little on the co-pay.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by Bojangles
People aren't doing mail order to spite you. We do it because our insurance company requires it.

In some cases you are correct.... but in some cases people are doing it to save a buck. Only to turn around and lose money because they have three months of meds they can't use. Believe me, I understand that some people are forced to use mail order. But I also hear from the people who have chosen it, been burned by it, and returned to the pharmacy. We encourage our customers to buy elsewhere if they can get it cheaper.... but in most cases they find that they cannot.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Only to turn around and lose money because they have three months of meds they can't use.

I guess I don't understand. Does your pharmacy allow returns or not charge a co-pay if the prescription changes?

If I buy 3 months of my maintenance type meds from the mail order pharmacy, my co-pay is $10. If after 2 weeks my doctor changes my prescription, I throw away the rest and I'm out $10.

If I were to buy that a 21 day supply of that same medicine from my regular pharmacy (Walgreen), my co-pay would be $20. If after 2 weeks my doctor changes my prescription -- I throw away the rest and I'm out $20.

In my case, even with a changed prescription, the mail order pharmacy saves me money.

 

[iwaseeyore]

Knowing what major insurers pay pharmacy benefit managers your worries for are naught. I know of one that pays over 50 million every couple of weeks. If the PBM is getting reimbursed for their layout please tell me how my Walgreens is going belly up since I"m sure there are multiple PBMs

 

[minniecarousel]

I order all my Mom's generic, maintenance prescriptions from Expresscripts on-line. Once I got it set up, it's been a breeze. Two of her other meds are not generic - we get those at Costco. Two I order on-line from Canada. I save her a lot of money by shopping around. I still think the health care in this country, especially for Senior Citizens is atrocious!

 

[iwaseeyore]

Only to turn around and lose money because they have three months of meds they can't use.

Do you have a way around the dispensing limit?

Are the rules are different for phamacy bought drugs? You won;t take the back Rx I found I was allergic to

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

It appears many of you have better insurance than the majority of people in our area. Either that or you have found a better mail order place than they have.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by Toby'sFriend
I guess I don't understand. Does your pharmacy allow returns or not charge a co-pay if the prescription changes?

If I buy 3 months of my maintenance type meds from the mail order pharmacy, my co-pay is $10. If after 2 weeks my doctor changes my prescription, I throw away the rest and I'm out $10.

If I were to buy that a 21 day supply of that same medicine from my regular pharmacy (Walgreen), my co-pay would be $20. If after 2 weeks my doctor changes my prescription -- I throw away the rest and I'm out $20.

In my case, even with a changed prescription, the mail order pharmacy saves me money.

And there may be gaps in your treatment, while you wait for the new prescriptions to arrive in the mail. If it was me, that is just not worth it. In your case you save money.... but at what cost? I guess you can just take the old stuff until the new arrives.

 

[iwaseeyore]

And there may be gaps in your treatment, while you wait for the new prescriptions to arrive in the mail. If it was me, that is just not worth it. In your case you save money.... but at what cost? I guess you can just take the old stuff until the new arrives. [/B]

I'm not sure what your bias is or if it's misinformation or you're plain stu, never mind.

Every recommendation from a mailorder company as well as the insurance company they are associated with recommend you get two scripts, one to take to the pharmacy for the immediate need and one to send to the mailorder to cover the shipping of the original order. Your doc will work with you as will MOST pharmacys. Maybe yours just sucks.

 

[DisMN]

I'm frustrated with being forced by our insurance company to use mail order. We start this month and getting it set up seems like more hassle than it's worth so far. I would much rather have the choice. If some want to do it mail order, fine, let them. But I wish it were an option.

I also have concerns about our local businesses/pharmacies losing business this way. Maybe it is a small town quirk but many people make valiant attempts to NOT lose what we already have
in some of these small communities....LOL and that includes shopping locally, doctoring locally and appreciating the value of one on one, face to face contact with our pharmacists. I ALWAYS have questions about the medicines prescribed and you aren't going to get those answers nearly as easily as you would if you were going in to physically pick up your Rx.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by iwaseeyore
I'm not sure what your bias is or if it's misinformation or you're plain stu, never mind.

Every recommendation from a mailorder company as well as the insurance company they are associated with recommend you get two scripts, one to take to the pharmacy for the immediate need and one to send to the mailorder to cover the shipping of the original order. Your doc will work with you as will MOST pharmacys. Maybe yours just sucks.

Do you work for a mail order co?

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by DisMN
I'm frustrated with being forced by our insurance company to use mail order. We start this month and getting it set up seems like more hassle than it's worth so far. I would much rather have the choice. If some want to do it mail order, fine, let them. But I wish it were an option.

I also have concerns about our local businesses/pharmacies losing business this way. Maybe it is a small town quirk but many people make valiant attempts to NOT lose what we already have
in some of these small communities....LOL and that includes shopping locally, doctoring locally and appreciating the value of one on one, face to face contact with our pharmacists. I ALWAYS have questions about the medicines prescribed and you aren't going to get those answers nearly as easily as you would if you were going in to physically pick up your Rx.

This is along the lines of what we hear everyday from our customers that are being forced into mail order.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

And there may be gaps in your treatment, while you wait for the new prescriptions to arrive in the mail. If it was me, that is just not worth it. In your case you save money.... but at what cost? I guess you can just take the old stuff until the new arrives.

well ok I guess. I've never had a gap. In my case I usually get a free sample to start the prescription off and my doctor faxes the prescription to the mail order pharmacy. It is usually in my mailbox within 5 working days.

 

[iwaseeyore]

Originally posted by CJMickeyMouse
Do you work for a mail order co?

Actually I was a CSR for an insurance comapny who did mail order before it was popular. Now I work in a world renown diabetes clinic in the back office and know the savings that people can receive from mail order in supplies and insulin.

 

[Aimeedyan]

My insurance company requires it for any medication that you need longterm... after 3 months of filling the same med, you have to switch to the mail order. Doesn't bother me, because I already have been on the drug awhile, have had the counseling I needed, I know I can always call up my pharmacist or the line that my insurance company gives me (24 hours, btw), and its the same med. Never had a problem, and it's easier than messing with refills each month on some things. And I just pay one copay for 3 months, instead of each month.

I do feel for the pharmacies that are hurting from it, I honestly do. Unfortunetly, many of us that have a lot of medical needs CAN'T afford to not take advantage of cost-saving methods. I CANNOT afford to pay 3x the amount just to keep the pharmacy in business. I think it's wonderful if you can, but I can't. Not only that, but my ins company will not cover anything after those 3 months filled, so I'm up a creek.

Unfortunatly, just like many things, pharmacies may become a thing of the past in the future. I can think of alot of fields that have gone to that, too, due to Internet.

I've never had a problem with mail order, I think its a good thing for those that need to save some money, and I trust them. I don't understand how anyone can talk about gaps, and emergencies, and such because I only use them for LONGTERM meds, I still give my local pharmacy ALOT of business for my shortterm meds =) And my pharmacy is open 24 hours.

 

[ripleysmom]

"It appears many of you have better insurance than the majority of people in our area. Either that or you have found a better mail order place than they have."

Better insurance, better schools.....hey there is something to be said for big city life.

We have to do mail order for some of our prescriptions also but our pharmacy company lets you fill 2 scrips at the drug store while getting the initial prescription with the company set up.

As for shopping from a small local pharmacy versus one of the chains, I prefer to pay less money for my items. Don't forget it is not just the price of a prescription (which for most people translates to a copay), it is also the price of the other merchandise. I have to say that I have a good relationship with my CVS pharmacist.

Dunno about where everyone else lives but there is a 24 hour pharmacy within about 15 minutes so if I need something in the middle of the night they are already there. My doctors though wouldn't prescribe something for my children without examining them first or sending them to the ER. Perhaps that is where big city life is lacking but to be honest I would rather err on the side of caution.