Prescription Madness
We called Rite Aid to request a refill on a prescription prior to our recent travel (the current prescription would have run out the day after we got back). Because it was only about 2 weeks after the original prescription had been picked up, we were told that our insurance would not yet cover it. We were therefore forced to try to pick up the prescription during the short 2-day window between trips.
When we returned from the first trip (on a Wednesday morning), we called in the refill. Well, we tried. The tech told us that the prescription had been transferred, and therefore 0 refills were available. Oddly, the tech couldn't even tell us where the prescription had been transferred to. After going in circles, I asked to speak to the pharmacist. When he got on the phone, he asked my name. I gave him my full name, then asked for his. When he gave me only his first name, I asked for his last. He hesitated, making up some excuse like "I just got on the phone, I don't know what this is about." My response was, "Well, you asked for my name, and I gave you first and last. I expect the same from you."
After he gave me his name, I explained the situation. I then said, "If your pharmacy can't keep records accurate enough to maintain the refills on a prescription, and if you're going to claim it was transferred without identifying where, then I will be forced to report you to the New York State Board of Pharmacy." Well, apparently that was the right thing to say, because he put me on hold to look into it. Within just a couple minutes the original tech was back on the phone, explaining that they had (magically) found the refills, and that they would be filling a refill within 45 minutes.
It's hard to find good help. In fact, this isn't the first time I had a problem with Rite Aid. The last time also involved filling a prescription around vacation time. That time the pharmacy only had 25 (instead of 30) pills, so when we picked up the prescription, we were told that the next time we were in, we should ask for the remaining 5. I specifically asked if we needed any paperwork to show that we only got 25, but the tech informed us that since it was in the computer, all we had to do was show up. Since we were picking up the prescription shortly before a vacation, and because we had no other business in the pharmacy, we didn't return for a couple weeks.
When we did, we were told that there was nothing in the computer. We were also told that we could only pick up the extra pills within X days after the main prescription was picked up (X was either 3 or 7). I complained that we had been told otherwise, but they didn't seem to care. Then I argued that we had paid for 30, not 25, and the pharmacist looked up the transaction and found that we had "just" paid a co-payment. True, I admitted, but that co-payment was for a full 30 pills, not 25, and furthermore, the insurance company was paying the rest. "In fact, I'm sure the insurance company would love to hear that while you billed them for 30 pills, you only provided us with 25. Sounds like insurance fraud to me."
Well, again, that was the right thing to say. All of a sudden that 3 or 7 day limit was forgotten. They asked if we had any documentation indicating that we had gotten only 25 pills, and we did - they had marked "25" in pen on the bottle. (Of course if they were going to accept this, we could mark anything we wanted on future bottles....) When we showed them the bottle (which, unfortunately did require a trip home), they "gladly" handed over the 5 missing pills.
At this point you might be wondering why we continue to use this pharmacy, especially considering the large number of nearby pharmacies. The answer lies in their hours. While most (if not all) of the other pharmacies are only open relatively normal business hours, this one is open 24/7, a convenience we consider more valuable than the difficulties we occasionally encounter.