I’m sure it has happened to you. The pharmacy technician takes your prescription, tells you to wait for twenty minutes, and your medication will be ready. Thirty-five minutes later, you are still waiting and perhaps feeling, angry, frustrated, and upset. Here are some hints from behind the counter that could just make your next trip to the pharmacy less stressful and more enjoyable.
Much of the frustration that arises from filling a prescription can be alleviated by simply having some basic knowledge about how insurances and pharmacies work as well as by having some reasonable expectations about what is possible and not possible. Listed below are some common mistakes and assumptions people make about the filling of a prescription.
Number 1: “If I use the drive-thru, filling my prescription will be as quick as getting a hamburger with fries.”
This one is actually false. It will probably take longer to fill a prescription through this method. The drive-thru window is great when it is used as it is intended: as a convenience for simple transactions, especially for people picking up refills on prescriptions. On the other hand, conducting more complicated business through a window and a microphone like changing an insurance , or coming to the pharmacy for the first time, can be cumbersome, and it may hold up the people in line behind you. Come inside if you will need a little extra time or attention. If you do actually need your prescription in a hurry, waiting inside will get it to you quicker.
Number 2: “Why does it take so long to fill my prescription? All you have to do is slap a label on my inhaler. You don’t even have to count anything!”
One reason filling your prescription takes some time is that most pharmacies are pretty busy and have many customers. Chances are that there are other people who have presented prescriptions or called in refills before you even arrived. You never know how many people are in line ahead of you because you don’t see all of them standing in the waiting area, but remember they are waiting just the same.
Similarly, you never know what problems are ahead of you in line. For instance, if insurance rejects payment for a prescription, the pharmacy staff may need to call the insurance to have things sorted out. This process can take many minutes depending on hold times and the nature of the issue. If staff is tied up on the phone resolving an earlier problem, they are not available to fill your prescription just yet.
Also, there is more that goes on that just pulling a medication off the shelf and slapping a sticker on it. First the prescription has to be entered manually into the computer system. Then it is filled, put in line, and finally checked off by the pharmacist. The pharmacist must ensure there are no errors. If errors exist, this can increase your wait time. Sometimes the fix is simple, but other times, especially if there is a worrisome drug interaction or if the doctor made an error, it may take some time to resolve the issue. Luckily, pharmacists are generally more committed to delivering prescriptions that are filled safely and correctly than to those that are delivered quickly but this may mean a longer wait for you.
Number 3: “My medication didn’t cost that much last month! Why did the price change?”
There are a whole host of reasons why your cost for a drug may have changed since your last visit to the pharmacy. The most common reason is that your insurance plan changed, and you may or may not have been notified. Unfortunately, neither was the pharmacy. Pharmacy staff simply transmits your prescription information electronically to the insurance and the insurance then transmits the portion the patient is to pay, also called a co-pay. Sometimes insurances will have what is called a deductable, or an amount of out of pocket expense you must incur before co-pay kicks in. This usually happens either with a calendar new year or an insurance fiscal new year or even a year from your enrollment date. Remember that if you switch jobs or your job switches insurance plans, things are likely to change. You can not expect the same co-pays from every plan.
Finally, if you are paying for medications without insurance, drug prices do fluctuate and can also potential change. Most people have no idea what the medications they are taking actually cost because all they ever see is the portion they pay, their co-pay. They are insulated from the actual cost because the insurance picks up the remainder. Remember that your $40 prescription may actually cost $285 if you were to purchase it without insurance.
Number 4: “What do you mean I can’t use your pharmacy anymore?”
Again, insurance plans change. Each one contracts with specific pharmacies or pharmacy chains for specific amounts of time and they may choose to deal only with certain companies. If a pharmacy is not contracted with your insurance, you can still get your prescription filled, but it won’t be reimbursed by your insurance.
Remember also that sometimes the insurance companies impose other rules like mandatory mail order pharmacies or only allowing drugs filled for 90 days. Check with your specific plan and remember things may change at any time. Even if you got your medication filled days ago just fine, it does not mean that tomorrow your plan will still be contracted with the pharmacy.
Number 5: “I called you two days ago to call my doctor for a refill. Why isn’t it ready yet?”
Refills on medications require doctor approval so usually the pharmacy is waiting on an answer from your doctor’s office. Many offices request up to 72 hours turn-around time for refill requests so be sure to plan ahead when you know you will soon be out of medication. Also, if you have changed doctors since the last time the prescription was filled, make sure to communicate this information to your pharmacy so they contact the correct office. There is nothing worse than wasting time sending a request to a doctor you no longer see. You can also be proactive and call your doctor directly if you have been waiting for a few days to urge them along in the process. Finally, call ahead to the pharmacy to ensure that your prescription is ready before you come to get it. If it isn’t ready, you will have saved yourself some time, energy, and gas money.
Filling prescriptions doesn’t have to be a frustrating and difficult experience if you plan ahead, know what to expect, and maintain communication with the pharmacy staff. When problems do arise remember that the pharmacist and pharmacy staff are working on your behalf to keep you safe and resolve issues as best they can. Make sure you plan ahead for those things you can like refills and changes in insurance, and be proactive on your own behalf by knowing how your specific insurance plan works or communicating directly with your doctor when necessary. Just a little bit of understanding can go a long way in making your next visit to the pharmacy a smooth one.
Stefanie Lein, PharmD, is a residency-trained community pharmacist and freelance writer. She has authored articles in trade magazines and professional newsletters. Her area of expertise is in pharmacy and physiology. She is also an inspirational writer and author of the young adult fantasy series, Perfectly Plain Nan.
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