topic Re: hard copy of Rx's in Wellness

hard copy of Rx's

granddi — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 02:30:38 GMT

I realized that it can be a hardship if a patient does not have access to a hard copy of a prescription Rx.

I was in a doc office and a young man was asking for a written copy of his Rx. Staff said the office does not do that. Receptionist said, In fact they don't have Rx pads. (But she fails to say that they do have computer programs that print out the Rx's)

She said they HAVE to send the Rx to a pharmacy. He politely told her that he just named a pharmacy near his home but had never used them. He told her he would like to check out prices at other places. The office said said NO.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Mz iMac — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 02:48:45 GMT

"In fact they don't have Rx pads."

Yes, they do. It's no longer left out in the open inside the exam room to prevent forgeries. Now the drs keep them inside their pockets.

Also, the dr can print out the rx. I always ask for a copy if she does not feel like writing one out w/her chicken scratch handwriting. Sometimes my regular pharmacy has "supply" or "vendor" issues w/my migraine meds. So I make my rounds to other pharmacies until I hit the "jackpot."

The young man should have asked to speak w/his doctor & that it was urgent and/or important. He does not need to tell the staff what the urgency is.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Meowingkitty — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 02:48:50 GMT

I was at my eye doctor a couple of weeks ago and he gave me a hard copy of a prescription to use for my YAG surgery. Maybe eye doctors are different.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

catter70 — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:21:19 GMT

My doc either does mine by electronic mail to my mail order provider or prints off a copy for local pharmacy or they will call it in if need be.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Carmie — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:13:41 GMT

The only RX's that I am aware of that doctors will not give you a hard copy of is opioids.

This is standard procedure. No amount of begging for a copy will get you one.

They will only call in this type of prescription.

Most doctors call in prescriptions. This practice cuts down in errors (bad handwriting) and stops people from forging and duplicating the script.

Patients have been known to steal whole prescription pad from the exam room.

If you wanna shop around for a price, you can call the office and ask them to call whatever pharmacy you wish.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Laura14 — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 10:02:38 GMT

This sounds like a big misunderstanding.

He can check prices without the actual prescription in hand. Pull up GoodRx and type in the medication and he's done.

And if he forgot the name, most people have access to My Chart or something similar to pull it right up on their own. No office can deny you access to your own medical records.

Probably true these days that a prescription must come directly from the doctor to avoid fraud, although we accepted them at Walgreens as long as they were verifiable several years ago. We filed the controlled substances hard copies in a special file which we had to keep for the DEA in case of audit.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

CalminHeart — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:35:18 GMT

A lot depends on the medication being prescribed. I, for one, am happy to not have paper prescriptions.

Maybe that doctor doesn't provide paper scripts. It might be their policy. Who knows.

Now that he's filled it at one pharmacy, he can price shop and/or use GoodRX to decide on a pharmacy for future use. Once he decides, he can have the pharmacy transfer his prescription.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

PINKdogWOOD — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:37:45 GMT

@Laura14 Not all pharmacies honor Good Rx, I know the CVS we use does not, will not. The phamacist tells us "your Part D does not accept/use Good Rx" (Part D if you're on Medicare that is).

My husband and I were just talking about CVS in particular. We both use CVS as our Part D but not anymore, we will be changing next time around. CVS is the major pharm that controls drugs prices and dictates what to charge for drugs. That's total BS for consumers. The pharmacist will then tell us it's your Part D, he says THEY won't allow us to use Good Rx, we've tried and he gave us a song and dance about it. What happened? We paid the price they told us because we did not have the paper prescription to go elsewhere to try for a better price and/or try Good Rx. Flip side, had we been able with hard copy in hand gone somewhere else who knows how it would play out.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Carmie — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:52:24 GMT

@PINKdogWOOD You can not use Good RX with any health RX insurance at any pharmacy.

You can use one or the other, but not both.

You can ask the pharmacist to not use your RX insurance if the price is lower with Good RX if you wish.

For most people, your price is lower with your RX insurance than it is with Good RX.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

PINKdogWOOD — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:56:48 GMT

@Carmie I did not know this - one or the other. Pharmacist did not offer this option when we tried to use the GoodRx coupon. On the other hand I do not know if he would have honored the coupon vs our Part D or not quite honestly.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Carmie — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 13:00:52 GMT

@PINKdogWOOD It was probably easier for him just to put the prescriptions through your insurance....not much to look up and easy to do.

Customer service is lacking everywhere. No one wants to be bothered helping people anymore.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

PINKdogWOOD — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 13:06:51 GMT

@Carmie This may be very possible because he looked and checked a lot of stuff on his computer, this and that. I can't even say if he was even totally honest with us in what he told us.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Still Raining — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:18:54 GMT

I don't think I have had a paper prescription for many years. Actually I like it that way. Nothing to lose.

I am on Medicare and lost a bottle of pills, thinking they went out in the trash. Anyway, I got a replacement under Good Rx which the pharmacist offered. Wonderful savings. Evidently you can go outside Part D.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Suzeecat — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:02:47 GMT

I've always been curious how it works when you want to use a mail-order pharmacy. People claim to get good prices and services ordering their prescriptions by mail, but I always get my medications by my physician contacting the pharmacy directly. I never get a paper script.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

CelticCrafter — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:18:39 GMT

@Carmie wrote:
The only RX's that I am aware of that doctors will not give you a hard copy of is opioids.

This is standard procedure. No amount of begging for a copy will get you one.

They will only call in this type of prescription.

Most doctors call in prescriptions. This practice cuts down in errors (bad handwriting) and stops people from forging and duplicating the script.

Patients have been known to steal whole prescription pad from the exam room.

If you wanna shop around for a price, you can call the office and ask them to call whatever pharmacy you wish.

That's not true in NJ, that's the only time you WILL get a written script and it's not faxed or called in. You need to take it to the pharmacy to get it filled.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

suziebee1 — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:29:24 GMT

When I get a blood test or a mammogram at the hospital, they demand that I have a paper script with a handwritten signature from the ordering doctor - no computer signature. That is a pain, because you have to either go into the doctor's office to get it or have them mail it to you.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

Zhills — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:29:37 GMT

Or maybe the gentleman just doesn't have or use a smartphone, tablet or computer!

Re: hard copy of Rx's

chrystaltree — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:32:35 GMT

Every doctor I see, gives me print out when I leave. It's a summary of the visit and ALL my prescribed medications are listed. I think all doctors have been doing that here for years. Since they all became computerized. I think there was some confusion with patients request. They thought he wanted copies of his prescriptions, of course, they wouldn't give that to him. He just the printout of his meds. I'd tell him to speak directly with the doctor and explain that the office staff dismissed a reasonable request for no reason.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

granddi — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:43:12 GMT

@Zhills wrote:
Or maybe the gentleman just doesn't have or use a smartphone, tablet or computer!

He was a young man many 20ish. He was polite to the staff.

I wondered if his prescription was expensive. I have no idea if he had insurance or any circumstance. The point is that the staff said NO, sorry.

Regarding glasses and contact lens Rx, Federal Trade Commission requires these Rx be given at end of exam.

Re: hard copy of Rx's

deeva — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:12:55 GMT

My doctor will give me a paper copy if a script when I ask for it.
Most of the time, it's sent electronically to the pharmacy.

I don't think many doctors call in scripts anymore, they don't have the staff for that.