Had to switch pharmacies......from Rite Aid to CVS

Marie5656

Marie5656

Well-known Member
Location
Batavia, NY
Well, with many closures of Rite Aid pharmacies, I have had to switch pharmacies. Rite Aid has automatically switched out files to CVS, though we can opt out and go somewhere else. I am going with CVS, as it is not far, and has a drive through window. Just went to pick up a batch of meds. I am pleased so far.
One of my meds is Voltarin..a cream to go on my bad shoulder. They gave me generic, which was about $10 cheaper than getting it OTC. And it does help me.
So, I hope this works out OK.
 

Whoever is now covering me for Medicare just changed their policy for Diclofenac Sodium (1%)... since it's available OTC they won't pay for it anymore.
Throughout 2023/24 it was costing me $4-$5 for a 3.85 oz tube... now it's $17.95 from the pharmacy and $14.50 OTC.
 
Marie5656 said:
Well, with many closures of Rite Aid pharmacies, I have had to switch pharmacies. Rite Aid has automatically switched out files to CVS, though we can opt out and go somewhere else. I am going with CVS, as it is not far, and has a drive through window. Just went to pick up a batch of meds. I am pleased so far.
One of my meds is Voltarin..a cream to go on my bad shoulder. They gave me generic, which was about $10 cheaper than getting it OTC. And it does help me.
So, I hope this works out OK.
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Rite Aid stores have been disappearing from my general are for many years now. Closest is Walgreens, but CVS is not that far. Never used either for prescriptions. Good luck Marie.
 
Ted01 said:
Whoever is now covering me for Medicare just changed their policy for Diclofenac Sodium (1%)... since it's available OTC they won't pay for it anymore.
Throughout 2023/24 it was costing me $4-$5 for a 3.85 oz tube... now it's $17.95 from the pharmacy and $14.50 OTC.
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are you talking about Voltarol .. with the 1% Diclofenac or something else..?:unsure:

The Voltarol here is OTC.. the smaller dose of diclofenac is 1.6 % and the larger dose is 2.32 % active ingredient
 
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hollydolly said:
are you talking about Voltarol .. with the 1% Diclofenac or somethig else..?:unsure:

The Voltarol here is OTC.. the smaller dose of diclofenac is 1.6 % and the larger dose is 2.32 % active ingredient
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Yes.... it's the same stuff HD. Voltarin or a generic version are available OTC... both are 1% diclofenac Sodium.
So is the stuff that I was getting through a prescription.

I haven't seen it above 1% but now that you say it's a higher percentage over there... I'll be talking to my doctor tomorrow at my appointment.
 
Ted01 said:
Yes.... it's the same stuff HD. Voltarin or a generic version are available OTC... both are 1% diclofenac Sodium.
So is the stuff that I was getting through a prescription.

I haven't seen it above 1% but now that you say it's a higher percentage over there... I'll be talking to my doctor tomorrow at my appointment.
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yes it definitely is more than double the active ingredient here.. at 2.32 % in fact Marie has just reminded me I need more, so I;ve ordered some ... you can see here on the uk amazon website https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HLR7PPZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1


Also there's another OTC brand which has a 20mg active Diclofenac sodium ingredient.. 23.2 mg diclofenac diethylamine corresponding to 20 mg diclofenac sodium...which is a more generic brand and costs a third or more less than Voltatol...

it's called Motusol Max 2.32% ... again TC...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motusol-1-...a1-9419-ac1acbc5cf5a&pd_rd_i=B0B524ZRR3&psc=1
 
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Marie5656 said:
A friend who lives about 20 some miles away is being redirected to A pharmacy here in Batavia. She is not happy.
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20 miles for a pharmacy ? WoW !

This is the difference here in the uk, beause we don't have our medication through any insurances, we can walk into any pharmacy anywhere in the country and present our prescription/s to be filled, and in my case and all other people over 60 in the uk, it costs Zero... it;s free !
 
I’ve had mixed results with Wegman’s home delivery.

It is cheaper, the copay for a 90 day mail order is two thirds that of individual 30 day orders and free shipping.

My refrigerated injectables come by FedEx overnight with ice packs in insulated styrofoam coolers.

The biggest issue has been with out of stock and supply chain interruptions.

I’ve gradually been getting more and more prescriptions from the Wegman’s in store pharmacy, no issues but I do have to run to the store to pick them up.
 
That Lady in PA said:
Interesting! So you have a paper copy to carry with you? We haven't been given a paper copy in ages… they are electronically transferred to the pharmacy on record.
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we can choose.

If we have a regular pharmacy the GP will send the prescription electronically to them, but they will ask, is X pharmacy where you want it to go....or we can designate another one.. equally we can choose to have our paper copy to take elsewhere.. we can also take them to a pharmacy abroad...

When I request my repeat prescription online on a monthly basis, they will send it electronically to my nearest Pharmacy..unless I state otherwise .When I collect my prescription,, there's a new prescription prefilled in the bag for use if I need it for the next time for any reason.. .
 
Aunt Bea said:
I’ve had mixed results with Wegman’s home delivery.

It is cheaper, the copay for a 90 day mail order is two thirds that of individual 30 day orders and free shipping.

My refrigerated injectables come by FedEx overnight with ice packs in insulated styrofoam coolers.

The biggest issue has been with out of stock and supply chain interruptions.

I’ve gradually been getting more and more prescriptions from the Wegman’s in store pharmacy, no issues but I do have to run to the store to pick them up.
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I should have been more explicit in first post. The mail order Rx houses I'm referring to are the major ones like Express Scripts and Optum to name two. These are owned by Aetna and United Healthcare so they enormous buying power and clout in Rx meds. If there are meds available they'll get the lion's share and they'll get them first.

While ES and Optum have plenty of stupid people working for them and 3rd world customer service the hiccups over the past 15-20 years have been minimal.
 
I took action quickly when Rite-Aid stores closed here, and had them transfer my prescriptions to a small local place about one mile from me. So far things have been great, and even the doctors' offices prefer dealing with them rather than the nightmare of Walgreens. Because of my prescription coverage a few things were redirected to Optum Rx and get delivered by mail. These are just blood glucose monitoring supplies though.

The problem is Wall Street, its push for continuous expansion and growth and squeezing the last penny of profit. It leaves the system weak and living on thin margins. As soon as a bottom feeder like Costco comes in the dominos begin to tumble.
 
When we changed from Humana Medicare Advantage to Devoted Health, I ended up changing my heart medications to CVS Caremark, because that is who Devoted works with for shipping their medications.
We can actually use any drug pharmacy that we choose, and my husband likes to make the trip to Walmart each month and get his BP meds. I much prefer mine being shipped to me, and do it every 3 months, so I am happier with the CVS shipping.
 
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With Rite-aid closed in my town, we now have no local pharmacy. I spoke with my GP last week, and she told me to just call her office, which I did yesterday, and they would print my prescriptions and I can pick them up today. The closet pharmacy (Walmart) is located 22 miles away. They don't deliver to my area either.

It makes me wonder what seniors in my community , that don't drive, are going to do. Most don't like mailing for meds.

The joy of living rural.
 
RadishRose said:
My CVS got really bad.

They no longer answer the phone. If you don't use the auto-system, you must wait for a callback!

They close the pharmacy section for lunch from 1 to 2 pm; nobody there. Their text messages are a day or two behind.

Altho' it's only 2 miles away, I need to change.
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I won't bother y'all with my tale of woe , but it is similar to the above. Got fed-up with Walgreens, am currently switching over to CVS , and frankly they do not seem to be much better. Health & pharmacy care have become a joke {IMO}
 
I have noticed that Amazon is now sending out prescriptions. Has anyone tried using Amazon for mailed prescriptions ? Since i am set up with CVS Caremark, and they work with my Devoted Health Advantage plan, i am not going to change, but I would definitley consider it as an option to have to drive somewhere and pick up my heart meds.

I just checked it out, and amazon does work with Devoted Health. It is really easy to see if they worked with your Medicare insurance. Just go to Amazon, then pharmacy, and fill in your information, and they can look it up and tell you if they accept your insurance coverage or not.
 
hollydolly said:
yes it definitely is more than double the active ingredient here.. at 2.32 % in fact Marie has just reminded me I need more, so I;ve ordered some ... you can see here on the uk amazon website https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HLR7PPZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1


Also there's another OTC brand which has a 20mg active Diclofenac sodium ingredient.. 23.2 mg diclofenac diethylamine corresponding to 20 mg diclofenac sodium...which is a more generic brand and costs a third or more less than Voltatol...

it's called Motusol Max 2.32% ... again TC...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motusol-1-...a1-9419-ac1acbc5cf5a&pd_rd_i=B0B524ZRR3&psc=1
Click to expand...
Hi @hollydolly!
So, I looked and googled and looked some more and asked my doctor's PA about obtaining strengths greater than 1% and she said that it would have to need to have a prescription and then be "compounded" at a pharmacy that does that kinda' thing. Otherwise obtain it illegally from Canada or wherever. So she suggested that I ask my PCP and hope, lol.
 

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