CVS feeling the tricare loss?

[6GodPharm]

Some stores closing now and a pretty good chunk of stores going from 9-6 on Saturdays to 10-6.

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[bulldog1123]

Stores in my district are actually going to 10-5. No store closings though.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

They were planning to close like 70 or so stores because they weren't profitable. I don't think the loss of Tricare is that much of a killer.

 

[deleted820760]

I hope they close them all.

 

[PharFromNormal]

I hope they close them all.

Imagine the mayhem. Argueably the biggest employer of pharmacists unleashing all those now unemployed pharmacists into the job hunt. The doom and gloom would be unreal.

 

[Gombrich12]

Retail would be a lot more attractive if stores were closed on Sundays and had shorter Saturday hours resulting in having to work every third or fourth weekend.

 

[FlavyFlav]

I would assume they'd feel something, our store alone does around 20 profile transfers a day for the past 2 weeks just from CVS. So much work! >.<

 

[Bubblewrap]

I work at Walgreens and I'm feeling the pain. My store gained an influx of scripts and on some days we fill twice than what you normally fill. Every since that happened we've been so behind. What's worse is that CVS is going to lose BCBS, which is scaring me. It's a mess.

 

[Digsbe]

I work at Walgreens and I'm feeling the pain. My store gained an influx of scripts and on some days we fill twice than what you normally fill. Every since that happened we've been so behind. What's worse is that CVS is going to lose BCBS, which is scaring me. It's a mess.

I work for Walgreens too. I feel like I'm always on the phone getting transfers from CVS. I guess the CVS business model is turning into just being a Carmark exclusive pharmacy.

 

[zelman]

I work for Walgreens too. I feel like I'm always on the phone getting transfers from CVS. I guess the CVS business model is turning into just being a Carmark exclusive pharmacy.

Works for Kaiser

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Imagine the mayhem. Argueably the biggest employer of pharmacists unleashing all those now unemployed pharmacists into the job hunt. The doom and gloom would be unreal.

I'd just open an independent right where the CVS stood. I could convince a local doctor to write prescriptions for expensive compounded creams and bill them to Tricare. Millions.

 

[Sine Cura]

**** Kaiser.

It is a complete waste of time to deal with anything involving Kaiser as an outside pharmacy for Kaiser members who would rather pay cash outside of Kaiser than go to the Kaiser outpatient pharmacy

 

[PharFromNormal]

**** Kaiser.

It is a complete waste of time to deal with anything involving Kaiser as an outside pharmacy for Kaiser members who would rather pay cash outside of Kaiser than go to the Kaiser outpatient pharmacy

I think he said works for Kaiser. What may work for Kaiser may not work best for other pharmacies or for all their members. Don't hate the playa hate the game.

 

[Sine Cura]

I think he said works for Kaiser. What may work for Kaiser may not work best for other pharmacies or for all their members. Don't hate the playa hate the game.

Just like pharmacies outside of CVS are wasting time getting Tricare subscriber scripts from CVS (how about they just get the docs to send new Rx?), many Walmarts waste time dealing with Kaiser because of cheap-ass Kaiser patients who don't want to get their tramadol at the Kaiser outpatient pharmacy.

My techs waste time on the phone requesting refills from Kaiser (even if you're multitasking it's a phone line tied up) because Kaiser is too good to put fax numbers on their scripts and these ******ed dual eligibles don't want to go to Kaiser outpatient. EVERYTHING is routed through the call center.

I've been trying very hard to deter and get rid of these patients because it wastes time. Kaiser doesn't even send e-scripts for their patients who want to pay cash outside Kaiser. Just low-legibility garbage scans.

The nearby ED makes a lot of funny errors like issuing Dexedrine instead of DXM. Again waste of time to deal with this crap

**** Kaiser

 

[sosoo]

I could convince a local doctor to write prescriptions for expensive compounded creams and bill them to Tricare. Millions.

and if the stinking customer change his mind n not come back to pay for the expensive compounded creams, think of the opportunities u have for it.

 

[farmadiazepine]

CVS will be fine. They will get Tricare back in the future. My money is literally on CVS in the long run.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

CVS will be fine. They will get Tricare back in the future. My money is literally on CVS in the long run.

What about Blue Cross?

 

[pezdispenser]

Wags is getting slammed with transfers in. CVS has apparently setup a system to fax transfers, or maybe just in FL. However, the number of refills for scripts on hold doesn't seem to show up correctly. For example you get this:

Quantity Prescribed: 30
Refills Prescribed: 0
Quantity Remaining: 60
Refills Remaining: 1

 

[bulldog1123]

Wags is getting slammed with transfers in. CVS has apparently setup a system to fax transfers, or maybe just in FL. However, the number of refills for scripts on hold doesn't seem to show up correctly. For example you get this:

Quantity Prescribed: 30
Refills Prescribed: 0
Quantity Remaining: 60
Refills Remaining: 1

How is that supposed to be read? 1+1? If there is no refills prescribed how can 60 be remaining? Did the store clarify for you?

 

[6GodPharm]

Wags is getting slammed with transfers in. CVS has apparently setup a system to fax transfers, or maybe just in FL. However, the number of refills for scripts on hold doesn't seem to show up correctly. For example you get this:

Quantity Prescribed: 30
Refills Prescribed: 0
Quantity Remaining: 60
Refills Remaining: 1

It's everywhere not just FL. The system was a good thought just stupid execution. It makes us put the pharmacy we are transferring it to, then the fax number. After that it'll let us put the rx number in. But if it's a new script on hold or inactive script it won't let us transfer it this way. We have to back out and go to the patient profile and do it from there. Very time consuming when a pharmacy calls and they have the rx number but its a new script on hold.

 

[pezdispenser]

How is that supposed to be read? 1+1? If there is no refills prescribed how can 60 be remaining? Did the store clarify for you?

Right, it doesn't make sense. I just took it as #30 + 0 refills.

 

[83ky]

Cvs stock price
the stock has been in the dumpster for the last several months. Just wondering if those of you still working at this corporation have any insight? Still have some shares from when I worked for them several years ago. is there still more bad news coming that will send it down further.? They report earnings on the ninth. Time to sell and buy google,apple, and maybe sales force. Thanks for any advice fellow pharmacists and hang in there

 

[sosoo]

recent tricare loss and blue cross will be revealed on the next earnings report. chances are it won't be pretty.

 

[PharFromNormal]

recent tricare loss and blue cross will be revealed on the next earnings report. chances are it won't be pretty.

I reread some of their past transcripts and it sounds like they were already messaging this and trying to set this expectation. I'm sure the results will look soft compared to last year but I'm not sure how much of this is baked into their current price. I guess the biggest question is how well did they forecast their losses. If it's worse than anticipated, ouch. A loss, but not as bad as anticipated, I'd expect flat to slight positive response from the street.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Time to bring back the cigarettes


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[PharFromNormal]

Time to bring back the cigarettes


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Not sure if this is a joke but doing so would likely lead to losing the PBM contracts they won as a part of quitting tobacco. They are stuck with that decision.

 

[Humble Sloth]

Imagine the mayhem. Argueably the biggest employer of pharmacists unleashing all those now unemployed pharmacists into the job hunt. The doom and gloom would be unreal.

Its going to get there eventually with central fill and having pharmacists peer check each other. maybe you should learn to spell "Argueably" correct before you get laid off and go back to school for sanitation engineering.

 

[PharFromNormal]

Its going to get there eventually with central fill and having pharmacists peer check each other. maybe you should learn to spell "Argueably" correct before you get laid off and go back to school for sanitation engineering.

Maybe I should lay myself off! Being self-imployed for myself sucks, I hate dealing with the boss that can't spel, may be I wood be better when your the boss of me.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Not sure if this is a joke but doing so would likely lead to losing the PBM contracts they won as a part of quitting tobacco. They are stuck with that decision.

Everything I write is a joke.

But...Do you really mean the contracts they wrote that way for their own benefit after they stopped selling cigarettes?


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[PharFromNormal]

Everything I write is a joke.

But...Do you really mean the contracts they wrote that way for their own benefit after they stopped selling cigarettes?


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Both this and eny pmb cleints they one. Like a health plans or imployers.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Both this and eny pmb cleints they one. Like a health plans or imployers.

Son, I'm only going to tell you this one time. If you want to keep working here, stay off the drugs.

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[CetiAlphaFive]

Both this and eny pmb cleints they one. Like a health plans or imployers.

 

[anon5666]

.

 

[Sine Cura]

Low-volume stores near where I work (northern CA) had their Saturday hours cut from 9-6 to 10-6 last year, so it's possible plans to cut hours were already in the works.

 

[Humble Sloth]

Has nobody else seen the repercussions of these contracts lost? In my district specifically I was notified my store is going 9-9 next month. That's 5 hours per week reduced off RPh paychecks (not to mention tech hours). Mind you this is a store that has beat script budget expectations by 10% yearly many years in a row.

Almost all stores are doing this in my district and the already 9-9 stores are going 10-6 on saturday vs 9-6. One store in particular is closing down completely which is a shock.

Looks like to appease stockholders, the incompetence of those who contract with third parties in CVS is trying to be offset by drastically cutting labor costs.

Cutting hours makes sense. Same number of patients will come in but it will cost less labor hours. Pharmacist are over paid anyway. My independent will take even more of CVS's lunch as I work 12 hours a day every day 7 days a week. This will make my store more competitive against CVS. Bad for new grads. Already it's a nearly unlimited amount of new grads fighting for limited hours of premium pharmacist pay.

And it's gonna get much much worse. Hopefully pharmacist pay reaches around 50,000 USD a year by 2020 to get more reasonable. I have 6 techs that do peer checks at my store which saves me a lot of money from hiring a new pharmacist(s)

 

[maria1oh]

Heard a customer today claim tricare isn't accepted at cvs because of the new president in charge messing up health care already.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Hopefully pharmacist pay reaches around 50,000 USD a year by 2020 to get more reasonable. I have 6 techs that do peer checks at my store which saves me a lot of money from hiring a new pharmacist(s)

Huh?

 

[steveysmith54]

Low-volume stores near where I work (northern CA) had their Saturday hours cut from 9-6 to 10-6 last year, so it's possible plans to cut hours were already in the works.

I think next step is to eliminate any overlap between pharmacists. One pharmacist does a 12 hour shift, signs waiver to waive overtime privileges. This is already done in grocery store pharmacies.

 

[HouTX]

I think next step is to eliminate any overlap between pharmacists. One pharmacist does a 12 hour shift, signs waiver to waive overtime privileges. This is already done in grocery store pharmacies.

which grocery store?

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Huh?

Humble Sloth forgot that he wasn't posting in the pre-pharm forum where his Ghost of Pharmacy's past chain rattling actually spooks people.

I think he just comes on this forum to vent his angst and anxiety about his personal future.

 

[Humble Sloth]

Huh?

let me S P E L L it out for you.

Finite amount of pharmacist hours to be worked.

A lot of new pharmD's being minted.

What does this mean?

Lower hours worked per a pharmacist.

I'm talking of an average of 20 available hours per a pharmacist @ 42 USD an hour. So that is around 42,000 USD a year minus income tax

 

[zelman]

Heard a customer today claim tricare isn't accepted at cvs because of the new president in charge messing up health care already.

Thanks, Obama!

 

[Sine Cura]

I think next step is to eliminate any overlap between pharmacists. One pharmacist does a 12 hour shift, signs waiver to waive overtime privileges. This is already done in grocery store pharmacies.

California pharmacists at these slower stores are expected to leave the pharmacy unattended for 30 minutes for lunch to avoid meal period premium, but at least they get OT.

(I have personally witnessed this myself as... uh... I get my prescriptions at CVS... CONVENIENCE VALUE SERVICE?!??!!)

I wonder how CVS handles rest periods (minimum 10 minutes and 1 rest period for every 4 hours worked)?

 

[wagrxm2000]

let me S P E L L it out for you.

Finite amount of pharmacist hours to be worked.

A lot of new pharmD's being minted.

What does this mean?

Lower hours worked per a pharmacist.

I'm talking of an average of 20 available hours per a pharmacist @ 42 USD an hour. So that is around 42,000 USD a year minus income tax

I remember this guy, he's the one that can't do math. What was it again, instead of three pharmacists working 40 hours, he'll have four pharmacists work 30 hours and save a bunch of money.

There was also if you make $400k but work 60 hours you are really only making $266k because I guess those extra 20 hours don't count.

 

[Humble Sloth]

I remember this guy, he's the one that can't do math. What was it again, instead of three pharmacists working 40 hours, he'll have four pharmacists work 30 hours and save a bunch of money.

There was also if you make $400k but work 60 hours you are really only making $266k because I guess those extra 20 hours don't count.

in stead of 4 pharmacists and 5 techs you have 2 pharmacists and 8 techs and teach the techs to peer check each other.

 

[steveysmith54]

in stead of 4 pharmacists and 5 techs you have 2 pharmacists and 8 techs and teach the techs to peer check each other.

Peer check is fine... done in hospital... never heard of it done in retail? if I were to go back to retail I don't think I'd like that, all the responsibility still falls on me lol...

 

[Momus]

California pharmacists at these slower stores are expected to leave the pharmacy unattended for 30 minutes for lunch to avoid meal period premium, but at least they get OT.

(I have personally witnessed this myself as... uh... I get my prescriptions at CVS... CONVENIENCE VALUE SERVICE?!??!!)

I wonder how CVS handles rest periods (minimum 10 minutes and 1 rest period for every 4 hours worked)?

You work in retail, what's rest period? I never see any of my Coworkers take rest period. I know the law, no one ever takes them in a busy store.

 

[Humble Sloth]

Peer check is fine... done in hospital... never heard of it done in retail? if I were to go back to retail I don't think I'd like that, all the responsibility still falls on me lol...

It's being done more in retail at independents to save money. Why would i hire more pharmacists when I can just have techs verify each other and save a ton of money. Just one more way pharmacy is going down the drain. I should have prob two pharmacists on payroll with how busy our store is ( ~400 scripts a day) but instead it's just me and 4 techs per a shift.

 

[bulldog1123]

It's being done more in retail at independents to save money. Why would i hire more pharmacists when I can just have techs verify each other and save a ton of money. Just one more way pharmacy is going down the drain. I should have prob two pharmacists on payroll with how busy our store is ( ~400 scripts a day) but instead it's just me and 4 techs per a shift.

Weren't you just recently a student who lived out of his van? Pretty quick turnout to becoming an independent owner now.

 

[Humble Sloth]

Weren't you just recently a student who lived out of his van? Pretty quick turnout to becoming an independent owner now.

Assuming this account is one person and not shared by a gay couple who both have PharmDs. Only in trump's america.