Prescription transfer gift cards

[Cruise]

Do any of the major drugstores still do this? It seems like it's been a while since I've seen any of the coupons in their flyers. They all just seem to be doing some kind of "reward bucks" program now and have cut out the script coupons.

I remember regularly being able to get $25 gift cards for transferring them.

Thanks!

 

[dansamy]

I think cutting out transfer incentives had something to do with healthcare regulations changing.

 

[jastza]

Yes the change in laws made the transfer coupons illegal

 

[goofyredraider]

It's illegal???? I just did it at Target last week (new or transferred) and got a $15 GC.

 

[jojo0612]

It was illegal in Ohio at the begininng of the year, but it was later reversed, but still hardly any gift cards coupons have been out there.

 

[Madison'smommy]

hmmm, illegal? really? Maybe it is only illegal in some places. There was one in this past Sunday's newspaper for a drugstore around here.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Yes the change in laws made the transfer coupons illegal

Our local Shoprite Grocery store has one right now for $20. I don't imagine they'de be doing that if it was illegal...

 

[JandJ]

Target still does the transfer/new Rx coupons, $10 or $15 gift cards, but they're not in the flyers any longer. You can get them at the check-out. If you are getting any pharmacy items and your Target pharmacy has a coupon printer, check-out there and you might get lucky!

ETA: FYI - if someone is on any type of government benefit (i.e. Medicaid) it would be illegal for the store to honor those coupons - it's in the fine print. And they are illegal in some states so check your laws.

 

[Cruise]

Thanks for all the info. It sounds like Target might be my only option and that seems like it'll be hit or miss if I get one of the cash register receipts. Kinda defeats the purpose if I have to keep buying little items to try to get the coupon.

 

[jmartinez1895]

We just got a coupon in the mail for a ten dollar gift card with a new or transferred RX and when I tried to use it I was told that as of June in Alabama it is illegal for a pharmacy to reward people for using there services. They said that it does have something to do with the new healthcare reform and most states eitehr have the same law in place or they will soon. If you live in a place that still allows this use it while you can.

 

[goofyredraider]

Target still does the transfer/new Rx coupons, $10 or $15 gift cards, but they're not in the flyers any longer. You can get them at the check-out. If you are getting any pharmacy items and your Target pharmacy has a coupon printer, check-out there and you might get lucky!

ETA: FYI - if someone is on any type of government benefit (i.e. Medicaid) it would be illegal for the store to honor those coupons - it's in the fine print. And they are illegal in some states so check your laws.

Really? We are on Tricare (military insurance) and I always am able to get those offers. Weird.

 

[Debbie7452]

Kroger and Target in Texas both have an offer out right now...

 

[scbelleatheart]

Meijers in Ohio gives coupons at checkout. The can range anywhere from $10 to $30. I use them all the time.

 

[Cruise]

Well, after calling around, it looks like the only place that does them around here is Target. I went today and the person at the pharmacy confirmed they take them, but that they only print as a catalina. So, I made several separate, small purchases hoping to get one, but never did.

Does anyone happen to have one they're not going to use? I'd be happy to send you a stamped envelope for it.

Thanks!

 

[sherry7]

I haven't seen a transfer coupon for a few months. I miss them.

 

[mrsklamc]

Really? We are on Tricare (military insurance) and I always am able to get those offers. Weird.

Tricare is a job benefit, whereas Medicaid is an entitlement program. Different kinds of 'benefits.'

 

[daughtersrus]

Meijer has them a lot. They also print out at the register. Sometimes they're good on new, transfer or refill. You just have to read the small print. Usually, it's for $20. When they fill the prescription, we get another coupon good for $10 when you get a refill. When you get the refill and use the coupon, you get another $10 coupon to use for the next refill and so on.

CVS stopped accepting other coupons and I haven't seen a CVS one for over a year.

 

[got2lovedisney]

I had a prescription at Walgreens then got a coupon to transfer to Target, which I did, and got a $10 gift card. We had a new Publix open in my area (Hialeah/Miami FL) and they sent a flyer to the house, transfer a prescription and get $25. For 3 months, if I refill, I get and additional $25/month. My prescription costs me $10 each so I'm banking $60. I got a Target flyer in the mail to transfer a prescription and get a $10 gift card so after my 4th month, I'll transfer back to Target.

 

[Cruise]

As far as the "illegal" part goes, I think one of the PPs was right in that certain states have already adopted new laws while other states haven't.

On the Wal-mart website, there's an offer to "e-transfer" a prescription and you get $10 "e-cash" (can only be spent on the website, not in store). But then under the conditions, it says:

1) Offer is not available to individuals whose prescriptions are covered in full or in part by Medicare, Medicaid, Washington State worker's compensation or any other government plan.
2) Offer is not available to:
Residents of: Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York

So I would guess those are the states in which pharmacies are no longer able to accept the coupons. But that's just a guess.

 

[Angielynne]

I live in Michigan and the pharmacies around us do them...it's not illegal. Annoying yes, illegal no.

On a 2nd note, I've been a pharmacy tech for over 10 years and as much as I'm a HUGE couponer and bargain shopepr I am I ABHORE these nasty coupons.

Why you ask?

Well #1 ...I can't tell you how many people I've had come to the Pharmacy to pick something up..yell at me when it wasn't ready or I couldn't find it..only to find out it was at a different pharmacy. They couldn't keep track because they bounced around so much to use their coupons.

#2...If you don't get your scripts filled at the same pharmacy, it is next to impossible for the pharmacy staff to check for drug interactions between your meds. The computer scans your profile as to what's been filled to see if there are potential problems. If you got something at Rite-Aid and then fill something else at Meijer that would cause a potential lethal interaction...there would be no way to catch it. Doesn't seem worth $10 or $20 to me.

#3..I can't tell you how much as a pharmacy tech I HATE transferring prescriptions. The day is so full of phones ringing off the hook from patients calling in refill, doctors calling in scripts, people calling in to see if stuff is ready, people calling with questions..then the pharmacy staff spends half their time on the phone getting med refills and authorizations, insuarance approvals, script clarifications, plus waiting on all the customers at the counters, dealing with faxed in scripts and e-prescribed ones, counting all the meds, labeling all the meds, trying to put away the daily drug orders, trying to send the daily drug orders, getting yelled at because peoples stuff isn't done in 5 minutes...then to stop what we're doing to transfer a script that you're going to transfer out again in a month just so you can get a dumb coupon...is so frustrating!!

Anyways...I didn't mean to rain on your parade, I just thought I'd provide a different perspective for those who work behind the counter with all the hoopla over these coupons.