I’m at the point in my life where I have to take a couple prescription medications daily. I am visiting the drug store on a monthly basis.
One of these medicines is rather expensive. I ordered it using the app from the drug store like I always do. Picked it up the next day like normal. I opened the bag when I got home and see a totally different box. I looked at the name on the box and went directly to my computer and looked it up. I found it without any difficulty. I also found that it was half the price of the name brand drug I was taking. It was a generic substitute.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against generic drugs. They usually have the same effectiveness as the name brand for a fraction of the price. My problem is that the drug store switched me to a generic equivalent, without notifying me, and CHARGED ME THE BRAND PRICE! To be thorough, I called another drug store and asked what they charged for the name brand and then asked about the generic. The price was radically different between the brand and the generic.
So back I go to the drug store, armed with this information. I march in fuming and demanded to speak with the pharmacist. I told her that my drug was replaced with a generic. She interjects and proceeds to tell me that there is no difference in the effectiveness. My blood pressure went up. “You didn’t notify me that you were switching me and you charged me the brand price.” Stumbling over the realization that she has just been caught, she said the wrong thing to the wrong person. “Well the computer automatically makes the change” Now for those who don’t know me, I have been a computer consultant for over 20 years. My fury increased. “So why do we need you if your computer is dispensing the drugs?” The following 2 or 3 minutes was a diatribe that I unloaded on her about my prowess at a computer keyboard. WhenI was done I demanded my name brand drug that I was used to. And stormed out.
Check your scripts before you leave the drug store. Make sure you are getting exactly what your doctor ordered at a price that is fair. Make sure they tell you if they substitute anything. Even if it is one generic for another. Do your research.
I’ve never paid much attention to the amount I pay for generic versus name-brand prescriptions although there seemed to be a large variance in the amounts. With my current pharmacy, the amounts and brands are always the same; I’ll never go back to the other place I used to deal with.
They did their job of raising your blood pressure so they can fill an additional prescription for you. HarHarHar!