Is CVS Pharmacy Ripping You Off?

Is CVS Pharmacy Ripping You Off With Your Prescriptions?

I normally keep my mouth shut and will not write anything negative about anything or anybody, but I feel bad for those that have a problem paying for their medication, and rely on discount pharmacies and advertised low prices to stay within their budget on a fixed income like our elderly seniors. As a dentist in West Palm Beach, Florida I write many prescriptions and if my patients can benefit from this, then I think is worth my writing about it.

A month ago I went to a CVS pharmacy conveniently located near my house to fill a prescription. I gave it to the pharmacy staff and asked if he could tell me the cost of my medicine and if CVS would give me the lowest cost. I also gave him my insurance information. He checked in the computer and said that the prescription would cost $15. I then asked him to tell me what the medicine would cost without my insurance, he hesitated and said it would be the same $15. I thought it was strange, but went ahead and filled the prescription. When I received the medicine, I noticed that I was given only thirty capsules, even thought the doctor prescribed a quantity of ninety. When I asked the clerk, he said that my insurance would not pay for more than thirty capsules at a time. That was my second red flag.

I took all my medication like a good patient should and the following month I took the empty container to a different pharmacy (I had two additional refills) and asked the staff if she could tell me how much my medication would cost. She asked me for my insurance information and I gave it to her. She looked in her computer and quickly replied: “Ok, if you get the medicine through your insurance, I have to charge you a $15 copayment, but if you don’t use it the prescription will cost you $10.” Of course I did not use my insurance, but when I received the medication it was for the full ninety capsules and not thirty like CVS had given me.
This means that if I had gone to CVS to fill the prescription (a total of 270 capsules, 90 caps X 3 refills) I would have paid $15 X 9 (they only gave me 30 at a time) or $135, while at the other pharmacy I would only pay $30.
I called CVS and asked for an explanation, but they were unable to provide one for me.

This incident also helped me reinforce my conviction that insurance companies are ripping us off and they don’t care about the patient, they just care about making money. I was paying for expensive medical insurance which should have paid for prescription drugs and my copayment was higher than the cost of the medication without insurance. Go figure!

I have the prescription numbers and can verify everything I have written.
I can afford the cost of the medicine in CVS, but I think they need to be more honest and give you all the information with your best interest in mind.
The next time you need a prescription filled, you may want to think twice about taking it to CVS pharmacy.

Carlos Boudet, DDS
West Palm Beach Dentist
http://www.boudetdds.com