Last month, we wrote about how a number of pharmacists at chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Target were being pressured by management to put customers into auto-refill programs, which led to some customers being enrolled in the program without their approval. Now Target says that it no longer measures pharmacists’ success by how many people they place into auto-refills. [More]
pharmacies
How I Saved A Bunch Of Money By Leaving CVS For A Locally Owned Pharmacy
By 11.8.12
Comparison shopping can save you a lot of money, and the difference can be dramatic in the case of prescription drugs. Susan ventured to CVS to fill her first prescriptions after leaving her former employer’s insurance, and was shocked to see that a medication she was used to paying a $10 copay for would cost $54.99 out of her own wallet. This certainly isn’t the biggest prescription sticker shock we’ve ever heard of (or experienced ourselves) but it did motivate Susan to shop around. That’s when she learned that loyalty to a pharmacy doesn’t really pay all that much. She left CVS behind, and now her bank account and her soul are much happier. [More]
Pharmacists Confirm Pressure From Management To Refill Prescriptions Automatically
By 10.25.12
Since we began following the stories of CVS pharmacists who appear to have been pressured into automatically refilling customers’ prescriptions, regardless of whether or not a refill has been requested, we’ve received enough e-mails from from both customers and pharmacists at a number of companies who say these are not isolated incidents. [More]
Documents: CVS Pharmacists Pressured To Put Customers In Auto-Refill Program
By 10.19.12
CVS has repeatedly denied accusations that the drugstore chain pressures its pharmacists into refilling customers’ prescriptions without their consent, but new documents show that the company expects pharmacists to push pharmacy customers into ReadyFill, its auto-refill program. [More]
Has Your Pharmacy Automatically Refilled Your Prescription Without Asking? We Want To Hear From You
By 10.17.12
Since we began covering the allegations that CVS pharmacists are being pressured into automatically filling prescriptions without customers’ consent, we’ve heard from a few readers who have experienced this problem with their pharmacy — not just CVS. We’d like to see just how widespread the issue is, and that’s where y’all come in. [More]
Is CVS Pressuring Pharmacists To Refill Prescriptions Automatically?
By 10.9.12
While a lot of medications are intended to be taken on a regular, predictable basis, a number of drugs are only taken when needed, which means customers are getting refills less regularly. But recently uncovered e-mails seem to indicate that at least some CVS pharmacists are being pressured to automatically refill prescriptions in order to cash in on insurance payments. [More]
How I Made The CVS Robocalls Stop – For Now
By 10.2.12
Vivi gets her prescriptions at CVS, and this meant that she recently began getting robocalls from CVS. You can’t blame her for thinking that an announcement telling her that the chain had “important information” for her meant that the phone call contained important information. Not advertising. The store’s robots were calling her up with ads, though, not recall information or anything else urent actually concerning her prescription. [More]
DEA Searches Six Florida Walgreens Pharmacies
By 4.5.12
As part of its investigation into whether chain drug stores with higher than usual sales of prescription painkillers are actually feeding those drugs to the black market, the DEA has served administrative inspection warrants at six Walgreens stores and one of the chain’s warehouses, all in Florida. [More]
Walgreens Now Lets You Refill Your Prescription By Texting
By 10.6.11
Ordering a refill on your prescription meds at Walgreens can now be as easy as texting a single word. [More]
Tips For Spending Less At The Pharmacy
By 7.15.11
When you’re in the market for crucial, life-improving medication, saving money may not be your top priority. But keep a level head, know what to look out for and you can avoid being gouged when you’re at your weakest. [More]
If I Hadn't Checked, CVS Would Have Charged $228 For A $28 Generic
By 6.22.11
Had David’s wife not probed closely, she could have ended up paying $228 for generic Fosamax that could have been easily gotten for $24. He’s sharing the story as a cautionary tale so that other people who are getting their maintenance prescriptions covered by their employer’s insurance don’t end up overpaying for generics. [More]
Walgreens "Sorry" They Gave Patient 10x Recommended Dosage
By 6.15.11
She was hit with incredible pain and muscle spasms in her chest so bad that Arizona woman thought she was going to die. The strike was so severe she would turn red and purple. Sometimes she would have a hundred of these attacks each day, each time thinking that this would be the one that would kill her. Now Walgreens tells ABC15 that they’re “sorry” for refilling her prescription with 50mcg pills. She was only supposed to get 5mcg ones. [More]
Safeway Pharmacist Accidentally Gives Abortion-Inducing Drug To Pregnant Woman
By 2.8.11
If you never thought to double check that bottle you pick up from the prescription counter, here’s a story that will probably stick in your head the next time you’re getting a ‘scrip filled. [More]
Duane Reade Infilitrates Williamsburg By Adding A Beer Bar
By 1.14.11
When Duane Reade announced it wanted to open a store in the hip poseur enclave neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, it faced stiff opposition from locals and bloggers who feared it would destroy the area’s charm and drive a nearby local pharmacy out of business. So the pharmacy chain bought over the natives with beer. [More]
Don't Miss Your Nonexistent Prescription Refill Reminder From Target!
By 1.7.11
If you choose to use auto-refill for your prescriptions at a chain pharmacy, be very, very careful if you move, or if you just happen to get one refill at a different store than usual. G. learned the hard way that Target, at least, will refill your prescription, fail to call you, and if you don’t happen to pick up your refill within two weeks: too bad for you; you’ve lost that refill! [More]
Publix Giving Away Free Diabetes Drug
By 3.16.10
Publix wants people with diabetes to become their longterm customers, so they’re giving away 30-day supplies of generic metformin in 500 mg, 800 mg, and 1000 mg dosages, with unlimited refills. Although Publix would love it if you subsequently get all your prescriptions filled there, it’s not a requirement for the free drug. [More]
Walgreens Wants To Sell You Food Now
By 1.18.10
Walgreens told Bloomberg News that the company is looking into selling fresh food and prepared meals–things like salads, cut fruits, and sandwiches. From RetailWire: [More]
Should Rob Complain About His Bad Kroger Pharmacy Experience?
By 12.11.09
Rob’s local Kroger pharmacy screwed up the prescription on his kid’s TamiFlu. Rob caught the error before any harm was done, and he’s not the confrontational type. In fact, he’s wondering whether he should just drop the whole matter. Here’s your chance to convince him otherwise. [More]
