Anyone else hate CVS?

[Anonymous]

CVS is AWFUL and now they have taken over Target, which I started going to in order to get away from them.

[Anonymous]

Largely despise CVS. Shitshow doesn't even begin to describe many of my run-ins with them. Only through trial-and-error have a identified a couple of CVS locations that have things semi-together and consistently fill promptly and correctly. The rest? I'm convinced they're the ninth circle of hell.

[Anonymous]

CVS gave me someone else's prescription one time when I was pregnant. They gave me someone's benzodiazepines. F'ing idiots.

[Anonymous]

Any way that you can get it filled at Walmart? They tend to be more lax about filling controlled substances. I found that Rite-Aide was even worst than CVS.

Anonymous wrote: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]

hmm, I like CVS. They always seem to have the medications in stock as opposed to Giant. The pharmacists are very helpful. I use the one in Mclean. They are open 24 hours, I can go early in morning or late at night and no one in line.

Also, like others say, get 90 day done via mail order. Much cheaper

[Anonymous]

If you can find a compounding pharmacy near you, like Vienna Rexall drug, they are much better at handling pediatric prescriptions. Call your health insurance, they should be able to find the closest one that is in network.

[Anonymous]

Don't get me started on CVS! Total shitshow. My ds has a seizure disorder and our neurologist is adamant he have brand name for a particular drug. They F it up every. Single. Time. We have dealt with this for five years. It makes my blood boil...

[Anonymous]

Costco!

[Anonymous]

I was having the same issue as OP with my sons Focalin. One CVS gave me as much grief as OPs. But then another was extremely helpful. It seems that the Pharmacist has a lot of control as to how things are handled.

Now I take my 90 day script to CVS after leaving the Dr. CVS orders the meds and I pick them up in about a week. It does take planning an making sure that I get the refill in enough time to allow CVS to order the meds. Since I'm bound my the Caremark/CVS policy also, I try to make it work.

[Anonymous]

I second the suggestion to find a compounding pharmacy. I've been really happy with The Medicine Chest in McLean, VA. http://www.themedchest.com/index.php They even ship my meds to me (no charge) when I'm not well enough to get in to pick them up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was having the same issue as OP with my sons Focalin. One CVS gave me as much grief as OPs. But then another was extremely helpful. It seems that the Pharmacist has a lot of control as to how things are handled.

Now I take my 90 day script to CVS after leaving the Dr. CVS orders the meds and I pick them up in about a week. It does take planning an making sure that I get the refill in enough time to allow CVS to order the meds. Since I'm bound my the Caremark/CVS policy also, I try to make it work.

Best advice for OP, from another poster who understands your PBM.

Also, since CVS acquired Target's in-store pharmacy in December, is it possible that now Target is considered in-network for you? Would that help out? I tried looking on the Caremark website, but could not get any information on their network because it required that I log in and thankfully I don't have to deal with Caremark as my PBM. The last paragraph of this article says Target was expected to become in-network for CVS Caremark plan members.

http://fortune.com/2016/02/03/cvs-target/

[Anonymous]

OP here: thanks for all the good advice on keeping this from happening again, and stories of CVS screw ups. I'm sorry other folks are also having a tough time with CVS. But, it's nice to know this is not just me.

CVS made such a huge production of the fact that I was trying to get a *controlled substance* filled *early* and acted like I was lying about the spring break travel. I ended up feeling like I was doing something very wrong. I'm probably paranoid, but I got the feeling that they could fill the perscription once the MD okay'd it, and we're just choosing not to. It's a common medication, and they've never had problems filling it within 24 hours before. They wouldn't do that, right?

[Anonymous]

You should file s complaint with CVS corporate and copy the district manager or area vp. It's a business they will listen if you complain enough.

[Anonymous]

I like CVS. No problems and they have been really helpful with certain things.

But, your experience does sound bad. You should contact the manager and complain.

[Anonymous]

Hate CVS with a passion!!
They are utterly and completely incompetent but the Wirld Bank switched their pharmacy plan to CVS so we have to use them.
Otherwise I wouldn't step foot in one and never would I use their mail order stuff.

We have to use their mail order service for regular prescriptions and this winter it took me 4 months to get my prescription. 4 months!!
I watched my doctor fax and call it in.nnothing happened - they didn't get it. Call this number that will do it. Nothing. Fax it to this number - nope, that didn't work.
On and on, each representative on the phone knows less than the last person but talks about it for 45 minutes at least 'trying to solve your problem'.

After three months one scrip arrives at my door. But not the other one. Start the whole process again and a month later it comes - but it's the generic which I did not want or ask for. Call them - , something about how the state of Pennsylvania allows genetics- but I don't live in Pa and no one said they ship from last either. So, I have to pay for the generic and it counts as a refill but then they'll send me what my doctor ordered