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Walgreens customers be warned!!

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Posted 11/4/2014 1:21 PM (GMT -6)
Walgreens was fined 80 million dollars for risky and unsavory dispensing practices and implemented a new "secret criteria checklist " they were told NOT to disclose to customer's and Drs. IT now is in effect and don't be surprised when you are denied your meds and from that point you will be flagged in all 8003 Walgreen pharmacies across the nation and a form submitted to the DEA stating their refusal to fill class II meds for you.

This is not a joke and is a serious kick to chronic pain patients in every state.

You can read a copy of the secret criteria that an anonymous rph who happens to also be a CPer released to channel 13 WTHN news in Indiana by googling walgreens secret checklist or searching the news site.

Some of the criteria are as follows: state federal id
Close geographical proximity between Dr,pharmacy,residence
New prescription, New Dr, New dose
Does the dose reach maximum recommended of 120 pills
Is it less then 30 days attempt at filling early
Is this a medication that has exceeded 6 month's( keep in mind we are talking class2 chronic pain meds,
Is there other meds being filled that meets standard of care for the diagnosis

People this is by far one of they most ridiculous regulation or rule and policy implemented and it violates so many civil rights must less moral codes its sickening.

I will tell you where to file a complaint,but first will tell you an example of the absurdity of this.


MS Contin script 15 mgs 4 times a day,no bt meds, so 120 pills,RED FLAG
Pass a total of 4 other pharmacy in the 5 miles between Dr office and home to get to mine ,the others do NOT carry MS C and 2 do NOT accept part D carrier, RED FLAG
Been on this med for a year but methadone 12 yrs prior, RED FLAG
Wasn't picking up volt gel or pills ,fill 6 huge tubes at once 3 months earlier,pills are on 2 months off 2 as its contraindicated in GERD,too dangerous. Only take flexeril prn and don't need following injection of cortisone/lidocaine sometimes month's. RED FLAG

I have been filling at Walgreens 15 yrs,this Walgreens almost 6 ,same one and only Dr for 6 yrs. They refused my meds,can never fill a narcotic again at Walgreens anywhere, and filling anywhere else is out of the question since the first thing that they ask is where have you been filling it. They are only allowed to order and have onhand a limited number of all narcotics and reserve those for established regular customers.

Just like that Walgreens made the decision that would cost me my pain management,turn my life upside down and no recourse and didn't even have to explain why and didn't.

My Dr is at whits end trying everything,he called and asked which#$@+# I spoke to at the Walgreens?? It was funny if you knew him he never curses or raises his voice. Lol

He tried writing hydrocodone,not one pharmacy would fill the 120 because of their own patients and one offered to see if my Dr would ok 24 tablets,their emergency amounts they allow for ER prescribed.

At this point I have NO meds after tomorrow and so far we haven't figured out exactly what to do. I have a different primary then I had thanks to insurance, then the one who wrote the butrans when I got off the methadone and I'm not sure he will do it since I have never seen him.

My PM is trying to figure out if he can do subutex since at least I won't be sick on top of pain.

If you want to file a complaint,if you want to find out which congressmen has CPers backs and DO not support this craziness that's leaving people in pain to suffer needlessly or you are interested in ways to become an advocate for CP issues go to www.aapainmanage.org/advocacy and we can make a difference if our voices are loud enough to be heard.

How much and how many more hits can we take? How much power are we going to give RPHs in our healthcare? How many deaths from not having entire medical histories on hand when they assume the role of our physician,before they figure out this was a mistake allowing them to treat patients?
Posted 11/4/2014 3:04 PM (GMT -6)
Vickie...Oh my word!  One can't make sense out of nonsense...This is NONSENSE!  I am truly sorry for the hell that this is putting you through.

Hugs~~Dixie

Posted 11/4/2014 3:35 PM (GMT -6)
I'm confused....there is NO other place to get your meds filled?
I don't guess I'm following the post well, but I do know that getting our meds filled is getting harder and harder!! I hope something works out for you.

could your dr call an alternate pharmacy explaining the situation and then they may agree to order your meds for you? I am in the process of moving from CVS (only chose it because it is 24 hour and medicaid locks in CP patients to one only). I just explained my situation to a smaller privatly owned pharmacy and they agreed they would fill from my Pain Dr and order the meds prescribed when a script is brought after calling to verify the first time I use them, after that they would glad to be my pharmacy....just and idea?

I hate all this a CPer has to go through.

Post Edited (AngMichelle) : 11/4/2014 2:40:51 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/4/2014 4:13 PM (GMT -6)
Where do u live? I have never liked Walgreen. This is all pretty insane. I hope everything gets straightened out.
Posted 11/4/2014 4:32 PM (GMT -6)
Ang you said it yourself when you stated the obvious. I've been locked in at Walgreens because I have been filling there 12-13 yrs and never anywhere else. Like I said as well the few mom and Pop places have long time customers they fill for and being limited by the number of narcotics they are allowed filling for a new customer would cause a regular one to not have their meds available to them. I understand that and this is Florida and the grocery pharmacies, Walmart, department stores do not order or stock scheduled II Meds at all for anyone leaving me with a few CVS and a boatload of Walgreens. There's no Rite-Aid or Costco here and our one Kmart nolonger has a pharmacy, it's closed. I checked the hospital pharmacy and they don't fill outside scripts or rather it's not open to the public.

Laura as I said above this is Central Florida and its a National policy for Walgreens now because of the 80 million in fine's they got but hey for a billions plus business whats 80 million? To a healthcare affiliate that is obviously all about profit and gain, whats a few human beings suffering?
Posted 11/4/2014 4:35 PM (GMT -6)
Vickie,

From what I could tell (looking at the Walgreens checklist), you only didn't pass #10 -- duration of use. But I presume the checklist was supposed to be used as a guideline, vs. a set of absolutes. Many scripts are taken for years on end and hardly should duration of use be a basis for approval/denial.

Did they give you an explicit reason for rejecting your scripts? Did you speak with the manager and/or regional manager?

I certainly understand how upsetting this can be, but it sounds like a poorly trained employee vs. a corporate policy. In fact, I wonder if you have a civil suit against them. I'm not an attorney but there is something called "public accommodation law" -- the idea being that essential businesses (restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies, etc.) cannot refuse to serve patrons without good cause. You might want to contact an attorney.

about a year ago, I switched from CVS to Sam's club and before I filled my first script there, I went in to talk to the head pharmacist. I told him my reasons for switching, where I live and where my PM doctor is located (all within a few miles). Since then, they would always pre-order my meds to make sure they were on hand (I was then taking 15mg oxycontin, a fairly uncommon dose). If you have a Sam's nearby, you might want to check them out.

If you would like, I can also try to get in touch with the Walgreens regional manager for the mid-west (though I doubt Florida) -- he's a friend of my best friend. My suspicion, though, is that Walgreens employees don't understand how to use the "good faith dispensing checklist"

ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wthr/PDF/WalgreensGFDdocuments.pdf

Post Edited (cogito) : 11/4/2014 3:56:25 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/4/2014 6:20 PM (GMT -6)
Oh no Vicki. I'm sorry that you are having to deal with those idiots. I got a letter from Univera earlier this year that they were no longer working with Walgreens. Now I understand. I use Rite-Aid, so it didn't affect me. I hope and pray that you and your doctor can get this straightened out really soon.

love and hugs
Loretta
Posted 11/4/2014 7:00 PM (GMT -6)
Walgreen hysteria has been around for over a year. The pharmacists have been wonderful. Even making sure I get methadone.
Posted 11/4/2014 7:18 PM (GMT -6)
Hey Vickie...Just checking in to see if you've gotten any good news?

I love shopping at Walgreen's, but I don't use them for my pharmacy.  I use a local hometown "drug store"...Does anyone remember those...greeting cards and all...I digress.

Fingers crossed for ya smhair

HUGS~~Dixie

Posted 11/5/2014 12:30 AM (GMT -6)
This makes me very worried for me and very sad (and worried!) for you. Vicki we all know if it can happen to you it can happen to any of us. Thank you for the link. Those of us that can, should look into the organization further. I will also avoid walgreens because I am definitely switching now that I'm paying cash.

I wont rant, but it is despicable. I hope if nothing else you can find an alternative. Please remain calm, or tell us you are, lol?
Posted 11/5/2014 4:55 AM (GMT -6)
That is crazy.

I have to ask.Why would anyone do business with them.

Maybe living in Gadsden,AL has put me in a Bubble.

There are 3-4 Wallgreen's,4 CVS's,Walmart and everything in between.

But there are close to 10 locally owned Pharmacies that I've used throughout the years.I know someone,personally,in almost all of them.

I use a family owned one a mile from my house.Grandather(retired),Mother,Daughter Pharmacists.

They couldn't be any nicer or more helpful.

I wish everyone here got treated a lot nicer.

I feel like the Doctors and the Pharmacists work for us.

The one's of us lucky enough to have Drug Insurance.Look at the money the Pharmacy takes in a month,a year,from your business.

I have 9 monthly prescriptions.

My PMD writes me 120 HydroMorphone a month.

I've got to go to my PMD at 9am for a Nerve Test.I'm going to ask the girl there.

Hope y'all have a low pain day.

God Bless,

Rick

edit:I'm sorry you're stuck there.

I just have to think that a Small Pharmacy would want your business Vickie.

I feel like I did my part putting my Pharmacist's daughter through College.Now the daughter is my Pharmacist.Unless I move,for the rest of my life.

I wish you the best.

Rick
Posted 11/5/2014 5:55 AM (GMT -6)
I am hanging in there and my PM is great and trying to do whatever he can. I was called to the office late yesterday and we applied a butrans patch in the office so that will help some until we can hopefully figure this mess out.

Cogito I agree as did the RPH at the other Walgreens closer to my house,unfortunately they do not carry MS C or Fent, or methadone, due to their location and this is a big thing here,whether they are in a area that getting robbed is a higher probability is a deciding factor over whether they stock certain meds.

Had they took the time to explore indepth the whys of the red flags I was getting they could all be explained,they did not do that however and I ended up being denied. This is the only 24 hr location and one of the only Walgreens that carry many of these meds and there were probably 20 plus people there when I went in and one tech,the RPH manager and one regular RPH,they took about 20 minutes to deny me and did not call my DR which was what they were instructed to do if questions arose.

The sheer fact they wanted to keep this secret from DRs and patients is a telling factor that they know it is not right.

They are so tight here with filling at only one pharmacy and at one location so I stayed with them all that time for that reason and like said most of the other small pharmacy's have long time patients and they can only get a limited amount of meds and they keep those to assure that those patients have meds. The only way is to keep checking back and that is their advice and useless really because they will not tell you over the phone if they have something or not. I do not drive anylonger so all my trips to the pharmacys checking are by public transportation and I can get to about 3 maybe 4 drugstores in the course of a day riding a bus. If I dont have meds Im not likely to be able to stand or walk from stop to stop on too many days.

I dont think they should have the right to submit their refusal to fill my meds based on one RPHs deciding without any investigation whatsoever to the DEA,what gives them the right? That is absurd and especially when we are not allowed to even know why we were refused? They dont even have to disclose to my DR what the reasons were and they do this by hiding behind the excuse this is interdepartmental and does not have to be made public. There has to be some kind of violation in there with reporting you to other agencies without your knowledge when it concerning your medical information.

My Dr said they have 28 Walgreens patients and they had many more but back awhile ago when they started requiring that paper to be onfile with your diagnosis and all that medical info on it he advised all his patients not to sign the waiver to release that information to a pharmacy so many changed then. Out of those 28, 17 were denied their meds this month based on the criteria,some changed meds others have another pharmacy they were using for other meds so they accepted them but some like me are just up the proverbial creek.

So as of today I still have no answers and since corporate refused to speak with the news or the PM advocate Im pretty sure they are not talking to patients either.

My Dr is still working on it and I will keep you all posted,Cogito I am seriously considering contacting an Attorney over this as I have always been a compliant patient,had only 2 different PM drs in 14 years and the first passed away,I filled 28 days since this is how he wrote it,there is nothiI have been on far far more then Iam on now and do not even take a b/t med so only fill one schedule med a month of any kind. I think this is wrong,the entire policy is wrong and they are going way way overboard with this diversion thing.
Posted 11/5/2014 6:34 AM (GMT -6)
Thanks for the update, Vickie.  You are blessed to have your doctor as an advocate.  So many IME are not willing to do so.  I hope that today brings resolution...and refills=)

Hugs~~Dixie

Posted 11/5/2014 3:33 PM (GMT -6)
:( I'm so sorry you're going through this Vicki! Are you sick/having w/ds?

All of that is ludicrous. I know that some folks thought it may be a bit of a red flag that my PM doc's office has a pharmacy in there, but with everything I'm hearing from y'all lately, I am so grateful. I've never had any issues and if I did, the doc is right there to answer the questions.

Huge hugs for you ... I hope it all gets worked out very, very soon. Please KUP.
Posted 11/5/2014 7:59 PM (GMT -6)
I'm OK for the moment, wasn't completely out since I didn't always take as much as I could so using what I have as more or less rescue meds if I get in a hole and can't get my pain under control using other means, the butrans not going to let me get too sick and after the sheer hades coming off methadone this will be a walk in the park. This just is not long term so have to try to figure it out.
Posted 11/6/2014 1:53 AM (GMT -6)
I'm by no means a fan of Walgreen's, but I can tell you that not all Walgreen's will take issue with scripts written for 120 doses. I just filled 2 at my local Walgreen's & 1 of them is something I only fill every 3 months or so and they are both C2 PRN meds.

If you drive across the border, we've had it be law for some time to flag patients who ask to refill a 30-day script in fewer than 30 days (unless the script is clearly marked with special language by the doctor indicating why it needs to be filled sooner). I think it's federal law about C2 scripts only being valid for 6 months -- if not, it's certainly state law in Indiana and has been for quite some time because I used to fill prescriptions there years back. And usually flagging just means they will contact your doctor to verify things & will check the state database for guidelines.

Have you tried Meijer? They're usually pretty good about getting medications & I've driven to some that are hours away from where I live & all they do is phone up my doctor -- who tells them that I had to drive out to the middle of nowhere because no one else could get the medicine in. Maybe you could get a script for the 24 doses to buy you some time & then start hunting around to see how quickly a Meijer store could get it for you. Otherwise, if you're up for a drive, Mariano's in IL can get even C2's in the next calendar day. The only problem is that they won't order it for you without getting a paper script the first time or two.

I've been super frustrated with Walgreen's myself. My local Walgreen's pharmacist told me they have some new system that was just put in place that is causing difficulties with ordering medications. They only get C2 deliveries once a week as it is & lately, the shipments have been empty. People are screaming mad at not being able to get all sorts of medications. Heck, I even had difficulties with them getting my thyroid medication and had to get it transferred to another pharmacy. All that to say, try not to get too upset about an anonymous posting on the web. There's no guarantee the person even works for Walgreen's & even if they do, they might not have explained the procedure correctly. I'm not really sure what a congressperson could do even if the things on the anonymous website actually are real corporate policies. They can't force a company to sell its product. I think the best thing we can do is vote with our wallets. :P
Posted 11/6/2014 8:48 AM (GMT -6)
Personally I'm just glad that Walgreens doesn't take my insurance!
Posted 11/6/2014 10:05 AM (GMT -6)
I only get my Percocet 10/325 filled at my local Walgreens for the past 6 months.  So you think they won't fill in on November 12th?

Why the hell do they put us through this garbage?

Posted 11/6/2014 11:17 AM (GMT -6)

jpjr50 said...
I only get my Percocet 10/325 filled at my local Walgreens for the past 6 months. So you think they won't fill in on November 12th?
Why the hell do they put us through this garbage?

JP, I'd go in there before you need it filled (like, now) and tell them you'll be bringing it in soon and hopefully they'll be able to fill it for you.
Posted 11/6/2014 12:16 PM (GMT -6)
JP like she said take it in there before and ask them to check for you and this is what happened exactly at the pharmacy this month. I took the script to the window as always and she said dont leave we have a new policy so the Pharmacist has to ok this and it may take up to an hour but you cannot leave?? Well that was odd enough but I waited and am use to them pulling new things out of the hat so I waited and waited some more and about 35 minutes later the tech said step to the consult window the pharmacist will talk to you and when I did she shoved the thing across the window and said we cant fill it! I said why not? She said I cant tell you but we will nolonger be filling it here try another drugstore like CVS? What? She said oh by the way it cannot be another Walgreens either. That is it they wouldnt say anything else and at that time I had not seen the new "secret checklist" nor heard about it going into effect and only discovered it after searching the news databases but did know something like that was about to happen since on my last appointment and I posted about that My Dr was handing out the new 2 nurse visits and having to write meds I generally didnt take so I could get the MS filled,even said he didnt care if I took it or not but if I didnt fill them the drugstore wouldnt fill my schedule II med.

Now that it has been in the news you might want to try to find out beforehand so if you have to move your other meds you have time to or if you have to have meds added to match your diagnosis you can call and get those written. This is the stupidest thing I have seen to date and I just left a message for Humana rep to call me back since I think they should know patients are being forced to waste their money on meds they dont need or want just to get one med. The volteran is not cheap and requiring me to fill it every single month both gel and pills costs Humana over $300 a month and lets face it to ever have a hope of changing this or fighting this it will be at big money corporate levels and Humana just might come close to being bigger then Walgreens.
Posted 11/6/2014 12:41 PM (GMT -6)
I only use Walgreens for one med, the other I get through a Ma & Pa Pharmacy next to my PM Dr. office. They can't fill it because they only get a certain amount per week and them being next o the Dr. office they are completely out in a few hours. My other meds are Fentanyl, Nucynta and Soma which I can get there no problem. It's my BT meds which I need the most is always the issue. If I can't get it through Walgreens I don't know where to go then. Should I have my PM Dr write a different script? I'm not sure what over BT med I can get filled without hassle.
Posted 11/6/2014 12:53 PM (GMT -6)
It turns out that is why they told my DR they refused to fill and flagged me since I am only filling one med there and not others and my other meds I fill at target are not narcotic so I didnt think it mattered. Evidently this was a red flag and paying cash is a red flag as well and that is so ridiculous,I filled the MS at Walgreens JP because Target doesnt carry it. They knew that too as we have talked about it before and even why. Policy and they have to follow it so they say.
Posted 11/6/2014 1:11 PM (GMT -6)
Well this is great. It seems I'm being pushed to surgery more and more after getting treated like this. I thought it would come to this but not so soon. My last resort is surgery and if I'm going to suffer without meds than my option window has opened. My wife wanted to start looking for a surgeon in 2015 and I'm on board as I guess God doesn't want me on meds anymore. Only way I can explain it getting meds has been so difficult this past year.
Posted 11/6/2014 3:24 PM (GMT -6)
It seems when companies/government get too large then they lose their humanity and cannot make a logical decision. It's all about the bottom line. Probably none of this will stop the bad guys anyway since they don't care about laws.

One thing I am not sure of is the 120 pill maximum total? Is this a new Florida or Federal law? I just dropped off my script yesterday for 300 compounded pain capsules. Do I need them to cram all the meds into 120 capsules from now on.
Posted 11/6/2014 7:21 PM (GMT -6)
At the rate they're going T we will have to have them cram a weeks worth in one pill and then we only need 4 pills, ya think that will satisfy them?

To answer your question though it can very state to state even though DEA guidelines say 30 days supply or 120 doses whichever is less with the exception of people with CA, chronic intractable pain and MS however someone forgot to include that in some pharmacy guides since they obviously don't know the exceptions or don't care! I'm sure a few read it and a few more may still be hanging on to some of the compassion that pushed them into a medical field but the majority feel that 120 doses is all we need and then som.

IIt's getting to be a real joke here in Florida because so far the only ones not getting drugs are the real deals, plenty still on the street.. they don't play by the rules anyway and using two different pharmacys to save money is No issue for them since they can sell a couple $40 pills to pay for the others.
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