Still learning about pharmacies...........

[Turkey Hunter]

I buy all my meds on a 90 day script and mail order the drugs.
A little history, I am a name brand guy..... no generics when it come to meds for my heart.

Anyhow, I received my new script of Toprol XL last night and it had been substituted with a generic "Metoprolol Eccentrice" (last word not completely sure is spelled right) There was zero communication between the pharmacy and myself to authorize this change.
Some may not think this is a big deal, but I had some bad experiences with Metoprolol post op and we finaly found the Toprol that works well and no bad side effects. The thing that really got me was they said they had the right to make that change without any communication with me due to the way the script was written. It seems the script needs to have the writting: DAW on it. (despense as written). Now Toprol XL had no generic until mid this summer so it had never been an issue, until now.
Now the folks at the "pharmacy" claimed we filled out a form stating it was OK to make this change and yet they can not provide a fax copy of the documentation they claim to have.

It does me no good to bitch about this, other than relieving a bit of the increased BP it gave me last night fighting with them on the phone.

After all this, they still didin't understand that I am about out of my script and they are wanting me to repurchase the correct script. More money to them.

So who is the one profiting off of this unauthorized switch of meds?
The insurance company or the pharmacy?

Is this the start of Hillary care?

OK, it's off my chest now.......

Ben

 

[geebee]

You can sure bet that national health care will not pay for brand names. I doubt we would even be able to pay the difference and receive them.

Every mail order pharmacy I have ever dealt with required a form indicating I wanted (or did not want) generic meds. If you did not sign such a form, you probably have a case but winning it would cost a lot more in time than repurchasing the meds - unfortunately. Do you have access to another pharmacy? If so, I would switch just to make a point - not that the first one would give 2 beans.

Vent away - we made be doing a lot of it should the political arena change.

 

[Rich]

Ben,
I have been down that same road a few times, and I also get mine by mail order 90 days at a time.
I can't blame the pharmacy though since they get their instructions from the company that is paying for our coverage, in this case GM.
They have been told to substitute a generic except of course they can't overide one with DAW on it.
Also understand after reading a recent article, these companies providing the generics as they come out are paying doctors $100 for every patient they switch to their generic.
After over eleven years on Coumadin they now have requested I switch to the generic warfarin. This has been discussed here many times but I'm still a little leery because I have done quite well on the brand.
Although it would save me a few dollars I'm just not comfortable with it quite yet.
So good luck with this one, I know it is frustrating.
Rich

 

[Rich]

Ben,
I forgot one thing.
Go Indians and Buckeyes!!
I may live in Michigan these days but my heart is still in my 'homeland' of Cleveland.
Rich

 

[Karlynn]

So far both my mail order and in-town pharmacies will fill brand name if it is check to Not Substitute on the Rx form.

I know that Al L and just about everyone says that generic warfarin is fine. But I had one a while back that really jacked up my INR if I took it. My Card doesn't prescribe generic - she just didn't check the do not sub box. I didn't keep it, so I don't know what company made the 3 mg tabs that messed me up.

I do take generic Toprol and have for years. It seems like every time it gets filled it's from a different company. Since I don't take it for BP I don't know if there's a difference. I take it for heart rate and haven't noticed a change.

Something definitely needs to be done with health care, but I'm terrified of anyone messing with it. I heard someone say "Our government can't manage immigration and now they want to manage our health care?" That's about how I feel. If I did not have a choice of what doctors I saw 20 years ago, I could very well be dead now because I saw a few really really bad doctors.

Now, as Ben brought up, I worry about access to the drugs that my doctor wants me to take. I resent some number cruncher telling me that its perfectly fine if I take generic. That's not something they have experience with.

 

[Blanche]

Ben:
I just had the very same thing happen to me. Our drug provider, Caremark, said the exact same thing that your company said. I'm a bit upset because the Toprol XL worked so well for me. I wonder if the substitution for Toprol XL is a time release medication.

I will see my dr soon, so I with speak with him about this. I'm going to ask him to write on all my rxs, "Brand name required do not substitute." That seems to work for Albert.

Blanche

 

[Granbonny]

Not to hijack Ben's thread.....but My Cardio will only script me 5 months at a time for warfarin?I call his coumadin clinic once a month..same office..and leave my INR test..never hear back from them ..Always in range.. .yet, 5 months pass by quickly..so when I get the 1 refill left..have to leave them a message to call Eckerds for another 5 month refill......This is a FREE service....Before his office grew so large. his clinical nurse told me...Bonnie..we have so many elderly patients..that never check their range..so Dr. Marshall wants to make sure..they are taking their coumadin..and coming in at least once a month..for their INR..test...Realy no problem for me..Always have the refills called in..after I leave the message....am surprised that so many get a 90 day supply....unless you are one that goes to local clinic..faithfully..I am happy that my Cardio does this..Bonnie

 

[Karlynn]

Our insurance company will only approve up to 90 day supplies. And if my cardio goofs and puts "Take one at bedtime" rather than "Take at bedtime as needed" it can get messy with questions on how much I really need, or if I run out "Well your scrip says you take 1/day and you've already run out???"

 

[maka]

Now the folks at the "pharmacy" claimed we filled out a form stating it was OK to make this change and yet they can not provide a fax copy of the documentation they claim to have.

Ben. I had a similar experience some time back (different prescription than yours) with my insurance/pharmacy and they told me the doctor had approved generic.....I told them to send me copy of the authorization and they could not provide it...so I asked to talk to a supervisor and told him that unless they could show me proof of the authorization they had not right to change the prescription...made quite strong complain and got my brand name prescription by returned mail at no charge......try to speak with someone with authority and don't let them get away with it...and make sure future prescriptions have a DAW written on it.....Good luck

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Ben,
I forgot one thing.
Go Indians and Buckeyes!!
I may live in Michigan these days but my heart is still in my 'homeland' of Cleveland.
Rich

I was planning on dissregarding all posts from you when I saw where you live until you remember to state the above.

Thanks for letting me vent everyone.

Ben

 

[Marguerite53]

Now the folks at the "pharmacy" claimed we filled out a form stating it was OK to make this change and yet they can not provide a fax copy of the documentation they claim to have.

Ben. I had a similar experience some time back (different prescription than yours) with my insurance/pharmacy and they told me the doctor had approved generic.....I told them to send me copy of the authorization and they could not provide it...so I asked to talk to a supervisor and told him that unless they could show me proof of the authorization they had not right to change the prescription...made quite strong complain and got my brand name prescription by returned mail at no charge......try to speak with someone with authority and don't let them get away with it...and make sure future prescriptions have a DAW written on it.....Good luck

Absolutely! Keep going up and up with supervisors until you get the name-brand dispensed to you. You don't have to be irritated, or cranky. Just tell them that a mistake has been made and they need to correct it. If they say they'll have someone call you, just say, oh, no thanks.....I'll hold until they are available. (because they never call you back.)

Good luck.

Marguerite

 

[Bryan B]

Ben,

Having worked in the pharmacy biz for quite a few years you need to tell your doctor if you only want name brand of a certain drug. All prescription pads have a place on the bottom left or bottom right where the doctor puts his signature. One side says "Dispense as Written" and the other says something to the effect of "product selection permitted". Once the pharmacy receives a prescription that allows them to use generic then most often they will. That is one advantage of still going to a "brick and mortar" pharmacy...you can request that the pharmacist dispense the brand name drug.

EXCEPT...if you are getting it filled through insurance they may not approve the usage of brand name if a generic is available. In that case your doctor would have to call and explain why you need the brand name (for instance having a reaction to the generic drug) before they will dispense it through insurance. Personally I don't mind using generics and like the much lower co-pay. And one more thing...some of the manufacturers that produce the generic brand also produce the same drug for the brand name company.

But the bottom line is that you need to start by asking your doctor to sign the prescription "dispense as written", then see whether the insurance company will cover it.