This was posted on the web by a chronic pain pt in Florida…
Walgreens new policy on dilaudid…….I just got off the phone with the Walgreens I fill my monthly script at. They told me thay have a new policy, which started last week, for dilaudid (I don’t know if it is for all schedule 2s but I would imagine so) in which you need to bring a copy of your pain mngt contract, treatment plan and proof of drug test in the last 6 months. This is required to fill the prescription. The alternative is to fill elsewhere. Seriously????? I can’t fill even fill it until Thursday so I am trying to comply (I prefer to stay with the same pharmacy if I can ) but I am speechless. So if anyone else is planning to fill at a Walgreens I suggest you call first so you are not turned away with a list of instructions.
What does a pt to do .. if they don’t have a pain contract…a lot of pts are being treated their PCP and not being seen by pain specialist. My wife has been on various opiates for her chronic pain for nearly 20 yrs and our PCP has never required a pain contract and/or urine test.
So is Walgreens going to start ordering urine tests on pts ? I thought that only prescribers had that authority in the community setting… Many of these chronic pain pts are on Medicare disability and have limited financial resources… So Walgreens is going to force an additional cost on these pts that are most likely already financially strapped.
Isn’t this policy just over-riding or interfering with the Pharmacist’s professional discretion.. Is it practicing pharmacy.. which the permit holder is not licensed to do ?
Filed under: General Problems
It seems to me this would be against HIPAA regulations. I certainly wouldn’t use Walgreens. Their only responsibility is to fill scripts and tell the consumer of side effects period.
I have been on pain meds for many years,17 car accidents and a horse came down on my body in 1999 left me for dead.. My Dr told me if I wanted a normal life I would have to be on pain meds for the rest of my life. I have been on 30 mg 2 times a day of morphine sulphate for 10 years and I have never increased my doseage. In fact I try to take half in the evening. Walgreens did the same to me.. I needed Dr approval, and my Dr said they were getting very close to crossing the line asking specific questions and HIPPA. I am not a pill addict, I am 64 yrs old and have kept my job, but if I didn’t take the morphine, I would be in screaming pain and bed ridden, ward of the state or similar.. Thanks to those people that went to mulyple Drs, and get hundreds of pills a month, they have ruined it for those of us in legitimate pain
I use to use Walgreens also, but I found out I was paying $81.00 more for my oxy prescription than CVS. Been there since, I don’t see How They Can Get Away With This???
Use Goodrx my oxy at publix is 8.50 for 2wk supply.
Walgreens is not the one changing policy. It is our federal govrment. I received a letter from my phamaceutical part of my insurance saying these changes were starting 11/01/2014 but would not be put in effect till Jn. 2015..They are enforcing this because of patients overdosing on their legal drugs, They even changed Tramadol to a controlled substance. If you have ever took tram. R ultrum it is like taking 2 tylenols….
I have been on opiates for over Ten (10) Years and yes I have been down all the roads of barricades and such. I believe the main thing here is to get anyone on Schedule II medications and such to be ONLY seeing a Pain Management Dr. These clinics require drug test as normal procedure, and you are going to have a contract with your Dr. on how,when,where and why you are taking your meds and that you agree with him(her) on how to take your meds. SO when you are set up with them your needs for urine screens and contract can be a copy from your pain management clinic. Yep it is a pain and I pray that ALL people that are in need of opiates and such for the chronic pain is assured to be provided them but ONLY when we work together Folks!!!
It is something federal for schedule 2 mes. Mine happens with Hydrocodone which i take and Tramadol which I used to. Luckily the VA docs did it all for me Eau back when I was prescribed
This is a real hardship for those of us who are homebound or nearly so. Other than trips to the doctor’s office or to the the grocer with the help of my husband, sister or niece as I am not steady on my feet.
When will the new vaporized nicotine delivery cigarette have to come with pulmonary function tests..to me nicotine is at least a class II ‘addictive substance’I am so glad I walked out of PM and opiates two years ago..the emotional stress of this game was adding to depression of pain anyway..I am now blacklisted because I wasn’t too pleased with being guilty until proven innocent..I am in pain now like never before but at least I don’t have the monthly PMS..” Pain Management Stress..”
I used to like Walgreens, used to shop there… I don’t think i’ll do that anymore. I think i’ll shop anywhere but there. 🙂
I do believe it’s a FL problem, in AZ I do not have a problem, and am on heavy duty pain meds,
Not sure, because I use the same drug, my pharmacist also i’m in Georgia, and I talked to my head pharmacist 3 days ago. And I am seeing my pharmacist the same day my meds were going to be filled and she told me make sure you let me know, before hand, which I did. She didn’t say any of that at all. What happened in florida could be the reason, but all states are different. Don’t know may find out when I see my PM.
Let’s make it even for ALL medications then..if you are diabetic, bring in your last 3 months of daily glucometer results, your last HgA1c before we dispense your diabetic meds; Lipids patients need to show their lipid and liver panel labs; we should also be seeing all C&S reports before dispensing antibiotics to make sure they are appropriate, since according to studies there is overutilization of these leading to resistance (why isnt this in the news more than pain meds, alot more people die from antibiotic resistant diseases). I’m being somewhat sarcastic here but also pointing out IMHO how ridiculous and discriminatory this policy is.
Great points you have here
Yes, it’s practicing pharmacy. These MBA think they can just institute across the board policies. The question is whether a Board would support the pharmacist or would they call it an employer employee issue, saying that I could work elsewhere if I didn’t like their policies. I’ll be checking what a drug outlet can do as a company. ..
But this policy is also clearly discriminatory to imply that pain patients are addicts, and that their med filling will be subject to different rules than others’. Unless they’re planning to ask for a contract and UA for every pain med, how will they justify some being held to that standard?