limiting number of transfers

[pandapharmer]

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So I heard that in Ohio, starting January 1, 2011 patients will only be allowed to transfer a prescription ONCE. One of the techs I work with told me this last week and I didn't really believe him since I hadn't heard anything about it up until now and it's such short notice. But then one of my friends who practices in a different city told me the same thing and I've been hearing more about it from other interns in my class.

Any other details/thoughts on it? Hopefully this will be the (start of the) end of coupon shoppers?? (unless of course they manage to get their doctor to just write them new prescriptions each month for maintenance meds). Or at least encourage patients to just keep their scripts at one pharmacy.

 

[R2pharmD2]

I would absolutely LOVE this. What I would love more is to see my chain invest its money in more tech hours instead of these ridiculous $50 transfer coupons. I wish they would outlaw rx transfer incentives entirely, then the transfer issue would take care of itself and we would stop losing money on all of these stupid prescriptions.

 

[bacillus1]

I would absolutely LOVE this. What I would love more is to see my chain invest its money in more tech hours instead of these ridiculous $50 transfer coupons. I wish they would outlaw rx transfer incentives entirely, then the transfer issue would take care of itself and we would stop losing money on all of these stupid prescriptions.

My store doesn't do transfer coupons anymore. They are still cutting tech hours.

 

[R2pharmD2]

My store doesn't do transfer coupons anymore. They are still cutting tech hours.

Yeah, I think that if my chain stopped doing transfer coupons they would probably just devote those resources to new managerial positions. These new managers would spend their time telling us we need to cut more tech hours.

 

[lorain]

yes, i got the email from OH state board yesterday

this is GREAT news for us, but TERRIBLE news for customers, their leverage just got taken away. Also bad news for Mds, they will probably be harrassed for more call ins to a different pharmacy after the customer has used the transfer once and then wants to go somewhere else.

 

[spacecowgirl]

I think it's great. There is no good reason to be transferring prescriptions all over creation. I wish every state would do this.

 

[pandapharmer]

why should patients need leverage? if they're unhappy with the service they get at one particular pharmacy, they transfer the prescriptions to another store and keep them there. no reason for them to need to have current rx's going back and forth.

 

[PharmDstudent]

why should patients need leverage? if they're unhappy with the service they get at one particular pharmacy, they transfer the prescriptions to another store and keep them there. no reason for them to need to have current rx's going back and forth.

They need leverage, because it may just be the case that the third time's a charm.

Wherever they transfer the prescription to will have them by the balls , so to speak.
Then, the pharmacies, PERHAPS, can charge whatever they want. It's a form of monopoly.


I'm against incentives to transfer. I think the gift cards, free delivery, free Amoxicillin or Metformin, etc. should be outlawed. If the patient has no need for medication, then they should simply not fill their prescription. Once you throw in gift cards and free medicine, you change the emphasis.

 

[ucrx]

They need leverage, because it may just be the case that the third time's a charm.

Wherever they transfer the prescription to will have them by the balls , so to speak.
Then, the pharmacies, PERHAPS, can charge whatever they want. It's a form of monopoly.


I'm against incentives to transfer. I think the gift cards, free delivery, free Amoxicillin or Metformin, etc. should be outlawed. If the patient has no need for medication, then they should simply not fill their prescription. Once you throw in gift cards and free medicine, you change the emphasis.

A pharmacy I worked at years ago had free delivery to nursing homes, senior homes, seniors, and disabled patients. I think that is a perfectly reasonable service to offer. The gift cards etc were just ridiculous.

 

[PharmDstudent]

A pharmacy I worked at years ago had free delivery to nursing homes, senior homes, seniors, and disabled patients. I think that is a perfectly reasonable service to offer. The gift cards etc were just ridiculous.

Everything has an "opportunity cost". If copays are zero and delivery is free, then what would stop a person from getting a single pill delivered everyday?

 

[ucrx]

Everything has an "opportunity cost". If copays are zero and delivery is free, then what would stop a person from getting a single pill delivered everyday?

That would actually be fraud, because the pharmacy would be billing many dispensing fees for a single prescription or refill. There was a pharmacy in CT that got in trouble for dispensing a week at a time on prescriptions written for a 30 day supply.

I don't know what would stop a patient from getting a single pill delivered every day, but it never happened. It would be pretty annoying to deal with as a patient though- having to be home every day for that delivery that could come at every time? No thanks. The store could also make a policy against that and the pharmacists could say no.

 

[owlegrad]

Everything has an "opportunity cost". If copays are zero and delivery is free, then what would stop a person from getting a single pill delivered everyday?

What is in it for the customer though? This only makes sense if they have a crush on the driver...

 

[PharmDstudent]

That would actually be fraud, because the pharmacy would be billing many dispensing fees for a single prescription or refill. There was a pharmacy in CT that got in trouble for dispensing a week at a time on prescriptions written for a 30 day supply.

I don't know what would stop a patient from getting a single pill delivered every day, but it never happened. It would be pretty annoying to deal with as a patient though- having to be home every day for that delivery that could come at every time? No thanks. The store could also make a policy against that and the pharmacists could say no.

Was the patient requesting that (a week at a time)?

What happens when everybody else is doing it? Or other crazy stunts? Could they really say no at that point?

What is in it for the customer though? This only makes sense if they have a crush on the driver...

Some people want to be catered to. How convenient it would be... no one would have to take responsibility for taking their medications, because they'd be hand-delivered once a day, every day- just like firefighters giving doses of tuberculosis medication.

 

[ucrx]

Was the patient requesting that (a week at a time)?

I don't know if patients requested it specifically. The pharmacy was organizing pills into one week organizers each week. There were many patients, not just a few requesting a smaller supply. I think the number of patients and fills is what caused to fraud charges.

What happens when everybody else is doing it? Or other crazy stunts? Could they really say no at that point?

I think you could say no. If it isn't reasonable, you don't have to do it. It is a service you are providing. And anyway, it never happened in the 4 years I spent at that store. Patients did request that we try to get all of their medications on the same schedule so they only had to deal with one delivery which made it easier on our side too.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I don't know if patients requested it specifically. The pharmacy was organizing pills into one week organizers each week. There were many patients, not just a few requesting a smaller supply. I think the number of patients and fills is what caused to fraud charges.

The pharmacist and pharmacy staff took it upon themselves to do that.
http://www.bricker.com/publications...and-resources-details.aspx?Publicationid=1889
(fourth section down)

I think you could say no. If it isn't reasonable, you don't have to do it. It is a service you are providing. And anyway, it never happened in the 4 years I spent at that store. Patients did request that we try to get all of their medications on the same schedule so they only had to deal with one delivery which made it easier on our side too.

I can see where the disabled and healthcare facilities wouldn't want to be inconvenienced anymore than they already are.

I work in the middle of the night, and people will call just to call. I don't see that getting better with delivery service, just worse.