Can I Choose My Own Pharmacy?

If I can choose my own doctor can I choose my own pharmacy?

Several times a week we receive calls from clients that they are at their local pharmacy and their prescription was denied. This can often be the pharmacy that will not call the insurance adjuster, the insurance adjuster that does not respond or confusion over the mandatory waiting period to fill narcotic prescriptions. The result is frustration by all parties involved and an onslaught of misinformation ultimately resulting in the delay of much needed prescriptions.

What can I do to avoid this?

To alleviate this stress often clients will choose to use a mail order pharmacy. The mail order pharmacy usually takes the guess work out of why a prescription is denied. The mail order pharmacy is more likely to trouble shoot, call the adjuster directly and even reach out to doctors when a letter of medical necessity is required. Your local pharmacy may be too busy or overwhelmed to make all of these calls on your behalf. The downside is when you are filling opioids or narcotics such as oxycodone or oxycotin there are additional steps that may need to be taken.

With the many restrictions recently put in place to prevent opioid overdoses it may take an extra step or two depending on what medication you are taking. One of these restrictions is the requirement that the physical prescription must be sent to the pharmacy. These restricted medications are not permitted to be e-filed except in limited circumstances or with specific certifications. However, most mail order pharmacies have made it as easy as possible to alleviate the burden on the client. For example, they will provide UPS overnight envelopes to the doctor to overnight the prescription. Also, they recommend you see your doctor a few days before your refill is due and the doctor can post date the prescription, that way by the time the pharmacy receives the prescription it is on the day when the medication can be filled and the pharmacy will overnight the medication with no cost to you.

Can I choose my own pharmacy?

Over the past several years there have been frequent news worthy items regarding pharmaceutical contracts between insurance companies and pharmacies. These contracts allow a specific insurer to provide medications to the insured for less money if the specific pharmacy is used. Often the discount can be as great as 30% less the average wholesale price of the medication. Since the pharmacy is dealing on a very large scale they are able to provide this discount. Depending on the Insurance Company they will allow you to choose your pharmacy, but they will only pay out at the negotiated rate, very similar to doctor’s taking the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Rate.

While this issue is still being decided in the courts most insurance companies will payout at the charged rate by the pharmacy. It is best to find a mail order pharmacy that serves the Workers’ Compensation community exclusively. Often they will forgive the amounts that the insurance company refuses to pay or that the commission will not award and always be aware that the pharmacy is not charging any additional filling fees.