I have a prescription which I need to submit almost 2weeks early. For hydrocodone. I need it early due to vacation. Last tme cvs made a big deal out of this. The manager kept digging thru her computer saying I just got a presciption somewhere else. This tme I did not go thru insurance at the somewhere else pharmacy. And I checked with insurance and they do not show anything after may. Just wondering if I could wLk in to a rite aid with a script for 300 pills for the first tme and get it filled? Thanks
Does rite aid and cvs share customer history?
Question posted by IbmLoco on 29 July 2011
Last updated on 4 October 2017 by azabigail
3 Answers
azabigail
4 Oct 2017
My experience tells me they do. Awhile back I went to my Dr. for my usual refill visit, also, I was leaving for vacation and I wanted to ask my Dr. to ok an early prescription refill. But I forgot to. At the time I was usually going to Walgreen's for my scripts, but this time I went to Fry's because it was nearby. I am visually impaired so I always have someone take me to the Dr., and then to Fry's for my refills, to save them from having to take me twice. Then, because it is almost always a few days ahead of my last refill date, I can get an early refill up to 3 days, so I was hoping that they would be able to call and get an ok from my Dr. for a 5 day early pick-up. I handed them the prescription and answered the usual questions. Since they had my records up they told me that it would be ready 4 days from that day, before I could ask them. So, I asked them if they could call my Dr.
to ok a 5 day early refill because I was leaving the next day for vacation and due to my visual impairment I did not want to be caught up with trying to find a pharmacy while I was in foreign location, and then find myself without my medication if I couldn't find one. But I was told that because the prescription was for a controlled substance, it could not be ok'd over the phone, the prescription had to be written, during an appointment, with the Dr approval included on the prescription. So I had to call the Dr. office and asked if they could fit me in for another appointment, and explained why. Fortunately they fixed the situation by allowing me to just stop by an pick it up at the front desk without, what could have been, a long wait for an opening to see the Dr.
(Please excuse typo's, and sorry this was so long, I lose track)
DzooBaby
29 July 2011
Patti is right. many states participate in a central database where all Controlled Substances are input into a database that both pharmacies and Drs can have access to regardless of whether it was purchased through insurance or by cash. This is done to prevent Dr shopping. Sometimes your insurance will allow an early fill for vacations but they may only allow this once or twice a year. The pharmacy has to check with the Dr to allow the early refill. I have had to do this a time or two for going out of state. I use CVS and have not had any problems with it when I tell them it is for an early fill because I will be out of town. Sometimes you may need to givve them a day or two to be able to contact your Dr plus push it through your insurance as an early vacation fill. You might ry Rite Aid but if your state utilizes the database, you will have trouble with an early fill. Does your Dr know you are needing an early fill to go out of town? If the Dr okays an early fill it should not be a big deal.
IbmLoco
30 July 2011
I don't mean that I have a refill. The dr gave me a new prescription dated 8/4 which would be 2 weeks less than the thirty days that the old script was for. Would that make a difference?
Inactive
30 July 2011
It depends if the dose is different - if it is for an increased amount per day that will negate the days your previous prescription allowed. For example: last months rx allowed Oxycodone 10 mg every 6 hrs and was enough for 30 days = 4 per day x 30 = 120 pills. This new prescription is for 10 mg 1-2 tablets every 6 hrs. Ok, that two tablets changes everything, including your previous prescription. Insurance will calculate that increased amount of use (even on the old prescription) from the date on the new prescription and will calculate how much you had left on the old prescription as of the date the doctor wrote the new one and divide it by 2 pills every six hours and will determine when you can put the new prescription in bu this recalculated amount. So time to sit down and do some math - figure out how many the computer thinks you could have used. Not easy I know. I hope this helps you.
If you can't figure it out, wait as long as you can and put in the prescription and they will tell you if it is time yet - but you can tell them you have been using the increased amount since the date on your new prescription - that prescription is your doctor's orders. Regards -
IbmLoco
8 Aug 2011
Thankyou, calculations worked out. Also I went into a cvs where I am not a stranger. Went to a 24 hour one about 6 am. Two pharmacists were on duty . She seemed to just check name and address told me about 40 minutesl. I got a paper and a cup of coffee and heard her ask her partner to check the count and that was it. Now I need to realy be careful with this running short early business. A lot of folks I talk to fall into this habit. Thanks again for your answer
Inactive
29 July 2011
there is a national database where the data is compiled and all pharmacies can check it. It depends how early you are talking about too, if it is a week early, they won't fill it. You might find a little Mom and Pop pharmacy that might not check the database but it is unlikely, all your chain drugstores will check it.
Inactive
29 July 2011
I live in a small town and with a script like that and never used the pharmacy before, even a small mom and pop drug store will call. You are talking about filling 300 pills. They take that serious around here.
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