Rite Aid Pharmacist Refuses To Fill Prescription For Disabled Patient
Gulfport, Mississippi: A 36-year-old disabled woman who suffers from Chiari Malformation type I, claims the pharmacist at her local Rite Aid is refusing to fill a doctor’s prescription for the drug Norcos (hydrocodone). She asked to be identified as MK.
MK recorded an exchange with her pharmacist and the video is included below. In a statement to Liberals Unite, she said:
This is what happens every thirty days when I try to fill my script. I have been disabled for two years now, and since they changed the laws on hydrocodone, this is how I am treated.
I am a 36 year old mom and wife suffering with an invisible illness that has no cure. I honestly feel this is discrimination. You will hear the pharmacist say that I am an established customer, my script is real and valid, there is enough of the medication in stock, she just wants to save it for other customers.
Ever since the change with the hydrocodone laws pharmacies are “picking and choosing” who they fill scripts for. This was my not my first incident with Rite Aid. I am an established customer of Rite Aid. When I first started getting my scripts filled, everything was okay. Then I asked them to count my pills out in front of me because there was a discrepancy when I got home and counted one time.
After that, the following month I was told that my script had to have a diagnosis code on my paper script. I called the doctor’s office and the nurse told me she did not need that information. She told me the pharmacist was violating my HIPPA rights. The pharmacist told me she would not fill it and I had to take it to a CVS or Walgreens, so I did.
The next month I went back to Rite Aid and I was told the didn’t have the Norcos (hydrocodone) in stock. So I guess this time it was okay there was no diagnosis code? I told my husband I was getting the run around. This has gone on for several months. There is always an excuse. So this time when I brought my script back in, I decided to record the interaction. My husband was with me.
The video shows what happened. She never had any intention of filling my script. These pharmacies complain when we go to different companies, but yet this is how we are treated. We have no choice but to go and see who will fill it. I was established with Rite Aid. I did not get my scripts filled by her that day.
I have never run out of my meds early. I have never lost or had my medicine stolen. I take my medication as my doctor prescribes it. How is a pharmacist allowed to determine whether your diagnosis is more important and worthy than the next person in line?
I have an invisible illness and you can very clearly see in this video the discrimination I face. After 5 minutes of her telling me that she was saving the medicine she had in stock for another patient, we left. She took every ounce of energy and stamina from me.
I was awarded my disability on my first try. I have doctors that trust me and try to help me have some quality of life. This pharmacist questions all that and humiliates me.
Chiari malformation type I symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Dizziness
- Difficulty swallowing, sometimes accompanied by gagging, choking and vomiting
- Vision problems (blurred or double vision)
- Speech problems, such as hoarseness
Filed under: General Problems
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My husband in South Florida area has been through hell over the last 15 yrs. He has crushed / bulging disks, had his legs crushed between a car and tow truck, has had knee replacement surgury. He has been diagnosed by the state as 100% disabled. He is a big man, and oxycodone is the only drug he has found that at least gives him some quality of life. He had been being ptescribed 30mlg tabs for 10 yrs, but when the pain clinics here started getting shut down, the addicts started getting appts with real docs. His was one. My husband made the unfortunate mistake of making a remark about the waiting room being so overly full that there were people sitting on the floor in the hall filling out paperwork. 10 days later, he got a note from the Dr saying he didn’t want to see him anymore, No explanation given. He then was passed around by humana to several other pain docs who did nothing but give him epidurals, and basically refused ANY meds. Finally his GP agreed to give him the oxy, but reduced the scripp to 10mlg, and would only agree to write him for 2 weeks at a time. Now, all of the sudden the pharmacy he’s been going to is refusing to fill it because theyre saying theyre not making any overhead anymore because the price went up 86 cents per pill in the last month. He has went to EVERY Walgreens, CVS, etc.. in a 10 mile radious and each one has given him the same run around.
We all need to get together and file a class action suit from the DEA, manufacturs, down to the ADA discriminatory pharmasists themselves. How is what they are doing any different from street dealers who hold, and sell to only specific customers vs people with valid scripps, from local Drs, who have been on the same meds for years???
This is discrimination and should be reported. The patient responded well to a professional absolutely lying. Shameful and should be a great reason to lose a license.
Discretionary tasks are not shameful. It is his/her determination AND duty of the pharmacist to take careful steps, following the states laws to note a questionable or even unquestionable patients. It all to often has disparaging bias toward those in pain or withdrawal. The reasoning may be the comfort level the pharmacists are within .
Yeah, that is the situation at some. Special consideration or “reserved for the loyalty” to that particular domain. Favorites or those who are willing to say pay (“hard cash”) for#30 Ct. Cialis 20 Mg. at $42.00 USD’s at over $500.00. (The RPh insists only cash). Fine, reverse engineering a same formula in India sets the price at $3.00 each. Copyright infringement, in minimum quantity. The ” generic ” PSE 5 ED’s Rx are similar but not “spot on”.
In other words….we here at RA no longer practice “first come fIrst served” on medications, every CII is now on reserve for ‘those on the LIST’ like a private club and if you aren”t on that list, tough noogies folks, move along because god forbid we get in trouble later for not having it in stock when they come in with their paper scripts….Send that video to the media…..
There are ppl on planet who are much more suffering in pain than some that we see daily but still they face challenges n r smiling sorry but do not have soft corner for ppl who truly misuse system
Obviously the pharmacist is lying. Report her to the BOP for unprofessional conduct.
To simple pharmacist- I cannot report a young woman headstrong in her learning that cooperation or tact and diplomacy is a better solution. They may snivel, excuse the condescending term. (adjective- having or showing a feeling of patronizing, supercilous, superior, snobbish, disdainful, lofty, haughy)
It’s left to the professional judgement of the pharmacist n if you are whitering in pain have u tried other alternatives if not then u r just being lazy n want an easy solution to ur problem
Wow!! You try living in pain every second of the day. Who are you to judge!!! For some people that’s the only option idiot whole!!!
Insisting or demanding does not sit well with many pharmacy folks. Cajoling (verb- persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery) may solve your dilemma. (noun- a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially undesirable ones, quandry, predicament, catch 22, vicious circle,mess, muddle) Try as one may, the answer equals the sum of the total.
The designation to CII complicates the delivery of the Rx, time and/or the ability to travel to pick up the now rescheduled hydrocodone. it takes extra time to determine if the Pt. has the insurance and the “right” to get the caplets at all. Usually, the pharmacy has a backlog of 4-6 hours or in some cases at the minimum of 24-48 hours. Here in the Fresno/Clovis area, CVS and Walgreens as 24/7 facilities. This may entail driving 8-10 miles or 15-20 miles round trip. If you as locked in somewhere to a one pharmacy contract at a location closed on weekends one must wait or take a chance the availability to even find ANY pharmacy has the particular item allotment at all. Only a few sometimes even has the thing you need. Mixed d-amphetamine salts combos are scarce. Due to the fact they will not tell you on the telephone IF the item is in stock, you drive all over the county trying to find if anyone has the stuff. They can order it but that again is the runaround. Regular customers may or may not be entitled to have the Rx in advance for the dispensing. It would test almost anyone to the where with all and time to circumvent the system to just have the ability or indefatigable spirit to try and not give up the hunt for the very thing you have been on for more than a decade. So inevitable this problem appears one persists to keep on keeping on.