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Thursday, June 5, 2014

It's Too Soon

It is a complicated issue to explain. Insurances rule everything. So do those pesky state and federal laws. It should be simple, really: Your bottle is empty, therefore you get more medication. (Just like if your refrigerator is devoid of milk, you buy more to put in there.) Only prescriptions are a different issue. If you are out because you took too many, your doctor told you to take more, you lost them or you had them stolen, then we cannot simply hand you more. Our job is to know why you need them and make sure you are taking them correctly. Simple? Yes, except when it's not.

Restless Patient: Did my doctor call in my refill?
CP: Yes. However it is too soon to fill.
RP: But my kid dumped them.
CP: Okay. I am truly sorry you let your young child play with your Ambien bottle and they got dumped but it is still too soon to fill.
RP: But my doctor called in a new prescription.
CP: Indeed he did. But he didn't change anything.
RP: But it's new.
CP: Only its origination. He could call in the same prescription every single day promptly at 11:38 am. Unless directions or strength changed, directing me towards the conclusion you should have these early, I am unable to fill this for you today.
RP: What if my doctor tells you he's okay with the early refill?
CP: That would be different. Or you can call your insurance and ask if they allow for a lost/stolen override. I shall wait to hear from either you or your doctor.
RP: Meanie.
CP: Nope. Parent. Give your kid a fork. Let him put it in the electrical outlet.
RP: Oh. My. GOD! That is so cruel.
CP: Yes. But he won't do it again. Lesson learned. Just like letting him play with your prescription bottle. You're just lucky he didn't take any. Why couldn't you pick them up and put them back in the bottle?
RP: Ew. They fell on the floor.
CP: Right. How silly of me. Again, lesson learned. And unless your insurance and doctor allow for the early refill, an expensive, restless one too.


1 comment:

  1. In this state, he wouldn't get it at all. Regardless of what his doctor says, whether his insurance pays for it, or even if he pays cash, he's not getting it.

    Ambien == controlled substance == no early fill. If enough time hasn't passed for you to have used 75% of the medication per the directions specified, cumulated over six months, you ain't getting any. I've heard every excuse in the book, and it doesn't matter. You can call me any name you care to, you can threaten to take your business elsewhere (Please do! I don't need customers who ask me to violate State and Federal laws. There's the door, don't let it hit you in the butt on the way out.) And this is an independent store, so calling coprorate (sic) won't get you anywhere either.

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