Anyone else hate CVS?

[Anonymous]

My health insurance started making me fill many of our family's prescriptions through CVS this year, and every month, I am finding reasons to like them less and less. Both of the CVS pharmacies near my house are really large with long lines to pick up perscriptions. Picking up a perscription takes forever. The customer service is awful, the pharmacy techs are rude, and forget about getting someone from the pharmacy on the phone. More than once, I've had them place me on hold and then...nothing.

Today's nuttiness has been trying to get last minute things done for spring break. DC has a 90 day Adderall perscription. it's been about 85 days since I last filled it, and he has less than a weeks worth left. We leave for the beach tomorrow am ( ) and he does not have enough Adderall left to make it through the entire trip. But, CVS won't let him get a refill until day 89, because it's a controlled substance-- even though we are traveling. That's right-- no refill of a 90 day supply of medication until there is one pill left. I called the insurance company to get a vacation override, and discovered I don't need one. It's been more than 75 days since the last refil. It is fine to be filled today. The 89 day rule is CVS policy. So, I had to get the doctor's office to call CVS and approve of an early refill. At which point, CVS told me they don't keep Adderall in stock and have to order it. And, they can't always get Adderall strength DC and don't know if/when they will get it in-- but certainly not before we leave tomorrow.

Faced with DC having to skip several days of medication over spring break, I ended up taking the perscription to Rite Aid, where they filled it in 10 minutes with zero hassle. And I paid over $200, since my insurance only covers CVS.


And everytime I try to get anything filled, it's this kind of shitsh@w. I am so pissed off that my insurance is making me use these clowns, and that they are never ending time, energy, hassle, stress. I could use some sympathy. Anyone else find CVS tough to deal with?

[Anonymous]

That IS a shitshow.

Does your insurance offer any online pharmacies? Mine actually encourages us to get the online ones- which happily show up at my doorstep.

[Anonymous]

Our insurance doesn't force any particular pharmacy on us.

[Anonymous]

OP: You might want to read these threads on Reddit.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/302wz0/refilling_adderall_rant/

https://www.reddit.com/r/pharmacy/comments/2zay9b/cvs_only_allowing_controls_to_be_filled_two_days/

[Anonymous]

I ended up taking home the wrong meds one time. I was pregnant and my thyroid dose was being adjusted every few weeks. My dr called in my new dose, and I went in, picked it up and went home.

When I went to take it the next day, I realized it was the same color as my last set of pills, so I knew it wasn't the right dose. Turns out they had put me on an "auto refill" program without my knowledge or permission, and the package I picked up was for my old dose that they had refilled without my asking for it. I had no reason to expect my old meds to be waiting for me. I had to go back and make them look for the right ones. I was so pissed off that day. The whole thing was ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Could you have filled it at a CVS near your vacation spot?

[Anonymous]

OP, look into your mail-order pharmacy. My insurance won't cover 90-days of Adderall done at a local pharmacy. I must mail the Rx to them and then it comes in the mail. It's not ideal, but I don't have to deal with lines. Since the Rx is Adderall, it get sent Priority mail, with a tracking number!

It's federal law that says the Rx must be mailed, not insurance. I've asked both the doctors and pharmacists. I was hoping the Rx could be faxed, done online, whatever... no mailed. Since it is a controlled substance, they must have the original Rx. But other than mailing it to Kansas (literally), I'm happy with mail-order.

[Anonymous]

I love CVS. My choices are them or Walgreens and I find CVS to be much cleaner.

But what you described DOES sound awful.

[Anonymous]

My sympathies, OP.
I settled in this country 10 years ago, love America, but hate the health care system.

I too had great difficulty getting ADHD meds filled at CVS. I came on here a few months ago complaining that one CVS in Bethesda would not even tell me on the phone whether they had the right dose in stock! I understand it's for safety reasons, but come on - it's ridiculous to expect a parent to drive around all the pharmacies in the area, in traffic, wait in long lines, just to hear that they don't have the right dosage!!!

So no more CVS. I go to Foer's, which at least is a small business. They give me a discount too, so you could call them to see if they could become your plan B, OP. They're not open on WE, though.

[Anonymous]

Just had a smaller problem at a CVS pharmacy today! I'm with you, OP.

[Anonymous]

OP here-- I do have the mail order option. In fact, my insurance requires mail order using Caremark on maintenance perscriptions. CVS is considered "local" or "virtual" mail order for Caremark. So it's treated like mail order, except no mail (this does not make a lot of sense, I realize). The problem with mail order is that I'm a WOHM, so there is often nobody at home to sign for the perscription.

I did consider filling it on vacation. But, since it's a class whatever medication, I have to take a hard copy of the perscription. I can't just transfer it in electronically from another store. A couple years ago, I had a California pharmacy refuse to honor the handwritten perscription written by a VA Doctor. I guess pharmacies have some leeway to decide what to honor? So I worry about being several states away with a perscription the pharmacy refuses to fill.

[Anonymous]

I am not surprised a CA pharmacy would elect not to fill a Rx from a doc in VA, esp when it's for a highly controlled substance.

OP, do consider mail order. I suggested it above. You could get it filled after 75 days. Even with mail time + going to USPS to pick up, it'd be faster than the CVS 89 day option.

I only had to sign the USPS Mail Receipt form (whatever it's called) for Adderall once. The other times, it was left in my box with no signature required. I've never had to go pick it up at USPS.

[Anonymous]

I really dislike CVS. But really many pharmacies have questionable customer service. I can't think of any that really stand out for good customer service.

[Anonymous]

Rite Aid is much better for ADHD meds. Their supply never seems to be adequate and they have those stupid refill limits.

[Anonymous]

I've had so many problems with CVS pharmacies over the years (incorrectly filling prescriptions, misapplying insurance reimbursement policies, failing to notify me that they didn't actually have in stock the medication they told me they did when I dropped off the prescription, etc.), I won't use them anymore. I use Walgreens to fill my Vyvanse and Adderall prescriptions, and have had nothing but an easy process with them.