Are Ready Fill or Courtesty refills Legal

[Old]

Is it legal for drug chains to sign people up for the Ready Fill or Courtesy Refill programs without asking them first? I was under the impression that is was not legal for prescriptions paid for by Medicare or Medicaid. That the people had to actually request the rxs. You are automatically filling rxs that are often not wanted or no longer taken by patients but yet picked up in error and paid for with federal and state funds. I had emailed NCPA before with this question but never got a response. Perhaps now.

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[johnep34]

WE have similar system in the UK. However, pt has to give signed authority.
johnep

 

[genesis09]

At Walgreens, you have to ask to put your prescription on auto refill. The system does not automatically do it.

 

[DASicari]

ReadyFill prescriptions are not automatically enrolled, but are given an option to enroll, decline, or patient not asked. We are "encouraged" to auto-enroll our patients' maintenance drugs to work towards and maintain high numbers to satisfy the DMs.

 

[LBpharmacy]

You must have pt. sign a waiver!

 

[Old]

What if you are ordered to sign everyhone up with no regard as to whether the want it or not so a certain percentage of enrollment is reached? . I thought with Medicaid and Medicare the patient actually has to ask for a refill themselves?

 

[Ackj]

What if you are ordered to sign everyhone up with no regard as to whether the want it or not so a certain percentage of enrollment is reached? . I thought with Medicaid and Medicare the patient actually has to ask for a refill themselves?

I thought it was illegal for medicaid customers to be on automatic refill. Not sure the reason exactly, but I recall one of my pharmacists telling us that.

 

[ethyl]

Patients with medicaid or medicare are ineligible for ReadyFill. They can't be enrolled even if they request it.

Issues with the program are duplicate therapies. Patients simply don't keep track of what they're taking and will take anything that's being filled. So they're picking up their HCTZ today while taking their Diovan-HCT and Losartan-HCT and their old furosemide script. It's difficult to tell what their most up to date doses are... and when you check with them before checkout they still have no clue.

 

[StevePerry]

Patients with medicaid or medicare are ineligible for ReadyFill. They can't be enrolled even if they request it.

Issues with the program are duplicate therapies. Patients simply don't keep track of what they're taking and will take anything that's being filled. So they're picking up their HCTZ today while taking their Diovan-HCT and Losartan-HCT and their old furosemide script. It's difficult to tell what their most up to date doses are... and when you check with them before checkout they still have no clue.

I heard Medicare pt's are still eligible for this... can anyone definitely confirm or deny this?

 

[Old]

Patients with medicaid or medicare are ineligible for ReadyFill. They can't be enrolled even if they request it.

Issues with the program are duplicate therapies. Patients simply don't keep track of what they're taking and will take anything that's being filled. So they're picking up their HCTZ today while taking their Diovan-HCT and Losartan-HCT and their old furosemide script. It's difficult to tell what their most up to date doses are... and when you check with them before checkout they still have no clue.

Well said. With the chains, at least one of them, they require 40% of eligible rx's filled on ready fill. Hit your goal and keep your job. People ,especially older patients, have no idea what they are taking. They promote the program by saying that you are improving patient health and outcomes. Truth is you get them in the store, they buy rx's(often times no longer used) and maybe some other items and you can try to sell them so old gummy bears. Its all about $'s. There should be a law.

 

[Goddard]

Hi Mate

It is illegal for drug chains to sign people up for the Ready Fill or Courtesy Refill programs prior asking them . It has severe implications. There are some flaws in the present system that needs to be corrected.

 

[DASicari]

I heard Medicare pt's are still eligible for this... can anyone definitely confirm or deny this?

I know for a fact that in my NJ CVS store PDP patients are able to be signed up for ReadyFill. And I have to RTS them after two weeks because they are being signed up and don't know it (to meet district numbers).

I would love the ReadyFill program if no one cared about the percent of scripts enrolled. Its a very dangerous program.

 

[kvl1027]

I just love when patients come in on Part-D plans and find out they have been prematurely thrown into the Dough-nut hole because of autofilling. It's a crime. There are some questionably individuals in some small pharmacies who are enjoying their lives behind bars right now for that kind of practice. The independent pharmacies have to be more careful, because we dont have the lobbying power to keep us out of trouble.