You’ve heard it before but it bears repeating – there are no stupid questions.  We thought it would be fun to post random questions that we are asked throughout our work days and from this site.  So, if you have any random questions J please leave us a comment or send us an email – nova@getpharmacyadvice.com or cate@getpharmacyadvice.com .  We will talk about whatever you are interested in!

What ever happened with the inhaled insulin?!

Exubera, the inhaled insulin was taken off the market.  It never quite took off because of the issues with correct technique of the patient along with irregular absorption into the lungs.  There is a lot of research going on to find a way to deliver insulin without needles!

I heard there are bloodless glucose meters coming out, is that true? (I hope so!)

Perhaps one day, but not yet   There was one bloodless glucose meter that was close but there were so many issues it is not available.  Good news is that there is a lot of research going on with being able to test blood glucose through skin, breath, tears and saliva…but it is going to be awhile. 

This question was a comment on the article Do all Diuretics Contain Sulfa?:   I have to take Edecrin because I am allergic to all other diuretics but my insurance will not cover it…what can I do?

This is when insurance companies can become super frustrating! The best thing to do, if the insurance co has already said they do not cover it is to:
1) Request letter from your physician about your need for a specific medication and why (with specifics)
2) Contact your insurance company directly on phone, email and letter to request drug to be covered
3) Reach out to your insurance agent and request their help -that is what they are there for

Insurance companies can sometimes be difficult to deal with but the truth is we pay them for coverage. If this is your only option, they should cover it -however to get them to do so can be a long, tedious process.

We received a comment on the article Juice and Allegra:  Why was Allegra taken off the market? 

I don’t believe Allegra (fexofenadine) was taken off the market since its release. However, Seldane (terfenadine) was taken off the market because it interacted with some drugs to cause irregular heart rythmes (that could possibly lead to death). When Seldane was taken orally it was broken down into an active drug, fexofenadine.  Fexofenadine was then released as Allegra. It has all the benefits of Seldane without the negative effects on the heart!

In fact, I highly stress you check out manufacturer websites or call the maker of each of your prescription medications to see if they have any savings programs going on at the moment!

My point in bringing this topic up though (aside from informing you of the existence of such programs) is to teach you how to make the process of using these cards a more pleasurable experience at the pharmacy. 

As of right now, what I find happening over and over again is patients are waiting until they pickup their prescriptions to inform the pharmacy staff that they have a coupon card to use.  This causes a little angst at the pharmacy because the processing of said coupon card is a little more difficult than say, processing your prescription through your insurance.

For one, each program has different processing requirements so it takes a little bit of time to figure out what needs to be entered into the system (i.e. codes, ID numbers, group numbers, etc.) in order to get the claim to go through.  If you plan to wait around for your prescription, be sure to allow the pharmacy staff a few extra minutes to figure out how to process the discount/coupon card.

Some of these coupon cards need to be activated by the patient before use…please do this before you hand the card over to the pharmacy!  You’ll know it needs to be activated if there’s a sticker or message on the front of the card telling you to do so (much like activating a new credit card).  This way you won’t come back to the pharmacy just to find out the savings from the coupon card hasn’t been applied yet!

Another great idea is to read the rules and terms of the savings card.  All the necessary information should be typed (in very small letters!) somewhere on the card (front or back).  By doing this, you’ll know whether your card can be used for refills or if it can only be used one time.  Some programs can only be used once in a lifetime…crazy, right? But very true!

Knowing the details of the program will decrease stressful situations at the pharmacy.  It would be no fun if you were planning on paying a certain amount for your prescription, but then learn that you actually have to pay more because the coupon card can only be applied to the first fill of the prescription or because it expired.

The absolute best time to tell your pharmacy that you have a coupon card to use for your prescription is right when you drop the prescription off.  If you need a refill of a medication that has a coupon card to go with it, make sure you talk directly to someone in the pharmacy versus using the automated system to initiate the refill process.  There would be know way for us to know you have a coupon card to use unless you actually tell us…this will eliminate any delays at the pick-up window!

Be prepared for the pharmacy staff to have to call the company involved with the coupon card…some of the cards are really confusing and it’s sometimes faster to get help from a representative than it is to play around with the card information to try to get it to go through.  Your patience would be much appreciated and the process will go much smoother if all involved are calm, cool, and collected!

One last thing, I’m pretty sure all of these coupon cards are for brand name medications only.  Just thought you should know!

With all that being said, another great way for you to keep money in your bank account is to view our free video course on how to save money on your prescription medications.  Check it out for sure!

Know of any other ways to make using drug coupon cards more enjoyable? Share your thoughts below or e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com.

Thanks for tuning in…happy weekend!

This is a very popular question at the pharmacy…it’s prime travel time right now!  Have no fear, there’s an option or two for you depending on specific travel plans.

First, you may want to determine if your insurance will pay for your medication before you hit the road (or air).  This will save you a lot of worry about how you’re going to get your next refill.  Most insurances will  pay for your prescription a good 5 to 7 days before it’s due!  You can find this information by calling your insurance company or having the pharmacy process a refill for the medication in question.

If you’ll be taking off before your insurance will pay for your medication, give your insurance carrier a call to see if they’ll allow for a vacation override.  If you’re traveling within the country, you may find that an override will not be issued because you can easily get the prescription transferred to a pharmacy in the area of your destination. 

If you get your prescriptions at one of the various major retail pharmacy chains, you’ve got it made.  This is because these companies have pharmacies all over the country and every pharmacy within a particular company (i.e.  Rite Aid Pharmacy) is connected by internet…a pharmacy on one side of the country can pull your prescription from the pharmacy you use at home and fill it, so long as they are part of the same chain!

However, if you end up having to go to a pharmacy of a different company, have the pharmacist call your local pharmacy to transfer your prescription to the temporary location.  It’s an easy process and you can always have your local pharmacy call the temporary drugstore to get the prescription back once you return from your get-away.

There are certain laws that vary from state to state, especially with control substances so be patient with the pharmacy staff while they figure out how they can help you if a problem should arise!

Warning: based on many state laws, you may only be able to transfer your prescription for a control substance one time…meaning you won’t be able to transfer it back when you get home.  In this case, you would need to be prepared to get a new prescription from your physician!

Now, if you’re traveling abroad, your insurance will most likely issue you a vacation overide so you won’t run out of your medications while in another country.  The approval of an override may vary depending on the nature of the medication.  Some insurance companies require the pharmacy to call them for the override, so be sure to pass the word on to the pharmacy staff, if this is the case!  You may get a little resistance from the pharmacy staff (the unfortunate truth -some people work harder than others and some pharmacies are more hectic), but they’ll get over it!

If you’re calling the insurance company on your own, be prepared with the details of your travel plans (i.e. duration, destination, etc.) as the insurance company may need to document this before they’ll consider any vacation override requests.  If the pharmacy is making the call for you, leave your travel information with the staff so they can pass the info on to the insurance representative.

Here’s a special request I have of you: allow ample time for the pharmacy staff to call the insurance to get the override.  Being patient and coming back later in the day to pick up your medication will make for happy pharmacy employees, and you can bet there’ll be a greater willingness to help from the pharmacy people! 

Oh yeah, and don’t wait until the last minute!

Got it? E-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com.  Don’t want to? Then definitely leave a comment below.

Wanna free-up some money for your trip?  Check out our free video course on how to save money on your prescription medications.  You can use the money saved for the fun stuff while you’re away!

Have a great trip!

Pretty much every day at work we receive a phone call from a patient who has just picked-up their prescription and is now concerned because their medication doesn’t look the same as the one they got the previous month.  Check out the video below to see what may have happened!

Recap!

One of two things happened: (1) the pharmacy carries a different manufacturer of your medication or (2) the pharmacy filled your prescription incorrectly!

That’s all for now!

Any questions? Please leave a comment below or contact me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com!

Also, questions on how to save money on your prescription meds? Check out our FREE video course to get the answers you’re looking for!

Did you go to the pharmacy to pick-up your Kapidex only to find out that you were getting a drug with a different name?  If so, check this video out:

There you have it…Kapidex underwent a name change -it is now Dexilant!  No worries, nothing else about the drug has changed.

Share your thoughts, give us your opinions, visit us often, and definitely leave a comment below…we’d love to hear from you!  You can also find me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com if you have a specific question.

If you could check out our video course on how to save money on your prescription medications and then provide us with some feedback, we’d be forever grateful!  Get it for free by clicking here.

So, what do you do?  Flush it down the toilet?  Throw it in the trash?  Keep it in your medicine cabinet indefinitely?!  What to do, what to do…in comes Catie -she did a quick video for you all about disposal of meds (recorded at our local dog park)…

There you have it!  If you would like some more info about expired meds -please see Catie’s article Expired Medications.

Just a note -if you are purchasing a medication that is in a unit dose -meaning anything in its original container -be sure to check the expiration date on the container (before you leave the pharmacy).  This way you won’t get stuck with a short dated product…if you would like to learn some additional ways to save money please see our *FREE* video course and manual -90 Ways to Save Money on Your Prescription Drugs.

When you get your new blood glucose monitor, be sure to turn it over and call the 1-800 number on the back.  Why bother?  Well, by calling this number, you will be able to register your monitor, and the benefit of doing so is one that you don’t want to pass up! 

By registering your monitor, you will give yourself the opportunity to get a replacement monitor for free (yes, I said FREE).  Once your glucometer crashes, you can call the manufacturer for a replacement, and 9 out of 10 times, they’ll hook you up with a new one free of charge!  Cool, huh?

Also, if you happen to buy faulty supplies for diabetes (i.e. test strips) definitely call the manufacturer to see how to resolve the issue. 

I was at work the other night and a representative from the maker of Accu-Chek Aviva test strips dialed me up to see if I could help some people that were in need of new test strips.  The couple was staying at a local hotel while on holiday when they discovered their Accu-Chek Aviva test strips were not working.  They called the manufacturer to see what their options were.  The representative called me to see if I’d give them a box of 50 test strips at no charge, and in return, the manufacturer would send my pharmacy the same item in order to replace what we gave away.  It was a done deal! 

In addition, the company was going to send another box of test strips to the couple’s home at no cost.  Who knew such patient assistance existed? 

This is just one example of how the manufacturing companies will help patients out.  It just takes a little effort on your part to get the help that’s needed! 

Just a quick post for today!  If you have similar stories or advice on how to get the pharmaceutical companies to work with you, please comment below.  You can also e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com. 

Speaking of free stuff, don’t forget about our video course on how to save money on your prescription drugs.  It truly is available at no charge…just trying to give a helping hand to those who are interested! 

Catch ya later!

My fav NFL team, the New England Patriots are currently playing…they’re looking a little rough around the edges, but makes sense as Brady hasn’t played in a regular season game in 53 weeks (that’s what the broadcasters told me!).   

Anyhow, here’s a post I think you’ll be interested in… 

Whether you’re recently unemployed and without prescription coverage or you just want to put extra cash into your pocket, I’m sure you’re game for saving money on your prescription drugs.  

Want to figure out how to save that moolah?  Well, you’re in the right spot!  

Here are 9 great ways to put that dough right back into your wallet: 

Price match –if you like your pharmacy, that is awesome! But then you find your drugs are much cheaper elsewhere…ask them if they price match. Many pharmacies do! 

Coupons –ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist –quite often we have them because we get them in the mail and/or from drug reps. 

Be aware when you leave the hospital –talk with your primary care provider (regular doctor) when you leave the hospital to change to less pricey meds. Usually drug companies give hospitals good deals on drugs so they will start you on their more expensive drug (and continue once you leave). 

Free diabetes kits –contact the diabetes kit manufacturer (on phone or via internet) most companies will give the kits away for free.

Know thy insurance –take some time and learn about your insurance plan. When you are prescribed a new drug, contact your insurance company (via phone or internet) and see if it is covered and what the copay will be.

Pet prescriptions –when your furbaby needs medicine ask the vet if it is a “human” drug. If it is, you can get it at your regular pharmacy- and it is usually much less money!

Don’t watch TV –okay, you don’t have to go that far…but if you see an ad for a drug, it means that it is going to be a new, expensive medicine…so, don’t listen to all their hype.

Tax deduction - http://www.irs.gov/ You may be able to get a tax deduction on your prescription drugs – use this website to find out what the guidelines are for this idea!

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST….

Cialis - click on this link  http://voucher.cialis.com/index.cfm to get a  30-day trial of low-dose Cialis (2.5mg or 5mg Cialis) or 3 free tablets of 36-hour Cialis (10mg or 20mg tablets).

So, with all of that being said, I’m sure you’re dying for some more fantastic ways to save money on your meds. 

Guess what?  It’s your lucky day because it just so happens that I have 81 more ways that will help you do just that. 

Get the full 90 ways to save money on your prescription drugs by viewing this FREE video course found at http://www.getpharmacyadvice.com/freegift.html.

Watch the videos and use the manual to follow along – happy cash savings!

Here is part 2 of 3 all about prior auths…be sure to read part 1 first!

You are standing at the pharmacy- innocently enough –just waiting patiently to pick up your medicine when the pharmacist comes over and says, “ok, well….your insurance will not pay for this drug right now because you need a prior authorization…” 

At this point the pharmacist will most likely pause and see how you are going to react (i.e. upset but calm or upset and crazy).   

Of course, because you have taken the time to read all about prior auths you will know exactly want needs to be done!

If you have a prior authorization required here are the steps…

Pharmacy gets P/A required rejection from insurance –at this point, you have a few options …

1.     Pay the full price of the medication OR

2.     Ask the doctor for a different medication.  If you are going to do this, it is helpful to call the insurance company and ask, “I was prescribed drug A –is there any drug in the same class that is covered by my insurance plan?”  This way, you can tell your doctor exactly which medications will be covered.  (Often the pharmacy people can help you with this but if you ask for their help please be willing to give them hours to days for them to follow up) OR

3.     Ask for a prior authorization.  Which means, you ask the pharmacist or technician to fax your doctor with the information so that your doctor can contact the insurance company.  I would also ask the pharmacist/tech for the phone number so you can have it available if you talk with your doctor.

If you decide to ask for a prior authorization, you should know that the pharmacy will fax the information over to the doctor.  It is then in the doctor’s hands…they will need to call or fax over the information to the insurance company –the pharmacy is not really involved until the insurance company okays the prior auth. 

Having said that, we will often try to help by pestering the doctor’s office with multiple calls and faxes to get the doctor’s office to actually do the prior authorization. 

Once the information gets to the insurance company, they will review it and approve it or not (usually within 2-3 business days). 

Seems easy enough, right?!….unfortunately, it often gets held up by…

Roadblocks to getting that prior authorization done already!

1.     The pharmacy –does not fax the information to the doctor’s office –this can happen but it is not the norm because this is the easy part –all we do is send a fax and most pharmacies have a whole system where the fax is sent automatically to the doctor.  (I am not just saying this because I am a pharmacist J) 

2.     The doctor’s office –ohh…there are many obstacles here…

a.     The fax is tossed by whomever guards the fax machine.

b.     The person we leave messages with does not understand what a prior auth is and does not pass on the correct message.

c.      Your doctor’s office refuses to do prior auth because they think they are a waste of time (when you first go to see a doctor –ask her policy on prior auths).

d.     The prior auth request is in the prior auth request bin and will sit there for quite a while –oh the frustration!  Usually, doctor offices have one person that deals with prior auths -if and when- she has time (like I said earlier –no one likes prior authorizations!)  This is the biggest issue because they usually get pushed to the end of the day…week…month…

e.      The prior auth guru starts the process (i.e. gets forms faxed from insurance company) but never quite finishes it.

3.     The insurance company –it usually takes 2-3 business days for the insurance company to yay or nay, once a completed prior auth is sent in from the doctor’s office.  The main block here is that the insurance company looses it or deny it and just never contact the pharmacy or doctor’s office. (most likely, it is delayed here because the doctor’s office did not complete the p/a correctly).

4.     Back to the pharmacy –the prior auth can be all ready to go but we just don’t know it because the insurance company and/or doctor’s office didn’t tell us to run it thru.

Okay, there you go –now you know all that can possibly stand in your way to getting your prior authorization done already.  Read on to part 3 –What I can do to Speed the Prior Authorization Process Along!

Did I leave anything out?  Go ahead and leave me a comment!

This past weekend, work was flowing really well.  Then it came to a halt when a woman came in demanding her medication that she said, “I came in last week and you wouldn’t give me my medicine.  And even now, its not ready!” 

After taking a deep breath, I ask her if she could wait a moment so I can look up her profile and see what the issue is because it was not me that she spoke with.  She watches me very closely as I go to the computer and after a moment she starts accusing, “See…see, you wouldn’t give it to me…see!”

I do see, it is a medication for her blood pressure that her insurance company requires a prior authorization for –ugh!  And I see a very frustrated woman who just wants her prescribed medication and doesn’t really care about this “prior auth situation.”

Prior authorizations are a pain in the butt for everyone involved. 

Explaining prior authorizations to an irritated patient is not only not fun but often difficult because the patient is pissed off and just wants you to shut up and giver her the medication. 

This past Sunday followed a typical interaction I have with most of my patient’s with prior authorizations…

I explained that her insurance needs a prior authorization –which means that her insurance requires her doctor’s office to give some information to them before they pay for the medication.  This is one way the  insurance company controls their expenses.

At this point she launched into a detailed list of why she needs to be on this particular drug. 

I followed with –I know (believe me, I know!) and I know it is frustrating.  I am not passing the buck but the truth is it is now between your doctor and your insurance company. 

At this point she gave me the evil eye and threatened to turn me in and to take her prescription elsewhere…(which may make her feel temporarily better but she will have the same issue at every pharmacy).

The funny part is that we deal with this situation multiple times a day and it usually follows the above steps –So, I thought, how can we nip some of this frustration in the bud? Then it dawned on me that -oh yeah, I have a blog and can write all about prior authorizations!  This way it is written down and you can be prepared to efficiently deal with the issue when you hear the dreaded words -prior authorization. 

This is part one -read on and really learn the nitty gritty!  By all means, if you know any little secrets, you would like to share please leave a comment below…

Please read on and learn about the roadblocks (in the second article of the series!) you will face on your path of getting that damn prior auth and how you can speed up the whole process!