Why Do People Continue To Go To Cvs Or Walgreens???

The Internet is flooded with horror stories about these arrogant, cocky, self absorbed pharmacists who think their s*** doesn’t stink as well as the pharmacy themselves. CVS and Walgreens have grown too big for their britches, but what I don’t understand is why people insist on flooding these stores every time they get a prescription? Insurance is insurance and there are tons of small pharmacies that will all go out of their way to cater to you a lot better than the name brands/chain brand outlets. So I ask again why do y'all keep going to a pharmacy that you hate? I think we should all have a national "go somewhere other than CVS or Walgreens" month!

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Well I'm on many medications and Walgreens not only has auto refill, but all my meds show up at my door exactly when I am out. On days I'm not feeling well, this is a blessing. Not all name brand chains have bad or rude pharmacists. Just like any family owned pharmacy, there are good just like there are bad.

Another thing is that my doctor can electronically send my controlled substance script to the pharmacy without a hard copy. This saves me time and gas when I'm out and need a refill sent in.

I do get though that if people are going to complain about big stores, then they need to pick another one.

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I have tried a few mom and pop pharmacies. Nastier than Walgreens. CVS can KMA

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In my area there are no small pharmacies anymore Walgreen's and Walmart put them out of business and many years back the small pharmacy got robbed of oxycontin so they just didn't want to deal with those issues anymore. It is very sad.

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I go to CVS because they own Silver Script, my prescription insurance, and it is cheaper for me.

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I agree with you about CVS and Walgreens. They're nasty and incompetent. I have found a mom and pop pharmacy who are great. They call when I've run out of a drug without me asking. They have given me a few days worth of bp meds till my dr called in my script to hold me over. They know me by face, and are happy to help. You're right, insurance is insurance. I will NEVER go back to the big chains. They suck.

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Marv (# 1) --

CVS is managed by first class nut jobs. They have a policy that when the phone rings that it MUST be answered within 4 rings. It does not matter if you are ringing up a paying customer. So, their policy means that you should excuse yourself from accepting MONEY from a paying customer to answer a question from a phone call. This is the most insane policy that I have ever heard of. I used to instruct my people to ignore the phone if they had a paying customer in front of them and if it pissed off the person trying to call in that it was just too bad. If a person needs an answer to a question then they can get off their fat butts and come in or wait until a person has time to answer the phone. If they think that one should leave a paying customer to answer a phone they are out of their minds.

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2 Times I went there to fill a prescription That’s for my granddaughter and they wouldn’t fill a prescription her doctor prescribed for her saying she could overdose on it. I think the doctor knows what he should prescribe for his own patients. And I went there to feel my pain medication and when I went to pick it up they told me I shouldn’t be taking one of them with the other, not knowing my history and the fact that I’ve been on the medication for several years already. I just told him just give me back my prescriptions and forget it you’re not my doctor and you don’t know what you’re talking about. To me that they refuse to fill prescriptions your doctor gave you for your child or want to tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing and they don’t even know your history! They are not the doctors, if they wanted to be doctors they should’ve went to medical school

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I prefer chains for a few reasons. My doctor calls in my scripts, hey refill automatically. They have a record online so if u move or switch pharmacies they still have all of my information. If I'm traveling and have a problem with meds while away I can go to the chain, explain the issues and I may be able to get those Meds while I'm away. I had numerous problems with Rite Aid but CVS has been perfect!

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You are absolutely correct!! In New York City and Queens, I refuse to go to a chain pharmacy under any circumstance–and when out of town that includes those in the supermarket chains and the "big box stores" To think that it only takes about 10-20 minutes (at most) of internet or yellow page searching to find privately-owned pharmacies, it staggers the mind as to why people continue to patronize these places.

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They take everyone's insurance, the pharmacists tell the customers if there might be a medication conflict and tell them to talk to their doctors, they're prompt, offer an automatic refill option, and answer all questions truthfully or admit they don't know the answer.

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Re: Marv (# 2)

My CVS nightmare began when my local mom and pop pharmacy closed. Had one prescription filled of vidodin. Arrived at home, lo and behold, script was missing 24 of my pills. It was awful... should've held up the line, stood at the counter and counted the damn things. I was dumbfounded and had no recourse, because I left and had no proof.
Count your pills folks before you leave.

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These chains are the preferred ones per BC/BS and Medicare. Try and get them to approve a drug - hours on the phone and then denied. So I have to pay out of pocket. CVS is now owned buy a large insurance company. It will only get worse.

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I had terrible luck with RiteAid. Switched to Walgreens and they have been fantastic. Polar differences between RiteAid and Walgreens. You make an ambiguous claim without any content what your problem is. I'm very positive whatever problem you had with them it could be resolved if you explained it to them very calmly.

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Re: angelw (# 7)

If it was just a clerk, you are absolutely correct. However pharmacists have to have a clinical degree. But they are there to offer assistance not to override any Drs orders. I would tell them to mind their own business & if they have a problem, call your Dr.

I would not go back there again or request you talk to their supervisor or manager.

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Here is the reason I have to go to CVS (which I don't like) BECAUSE my husband's employer has United HealthCare and the RX side of the health insurance is CAREMARK which is CVS. So CVS not only gets the insurance premiums, but they are the sole store that I can buy my prescriptions from. We are able to get one time scripts anywhere. But all regular meds have to be through CVS. So...they get the premium and all the sales to boot. And they sometimes butt in when they shouldn't. There outta be a law that they cannot be in the insurance business too as a conflict of interest.

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Rite Aid and CVS are awful. Wallgreens is ok. In the small town I live in we don’t have any mom and pop pharmacies at all. In the city closest to me, the capital of this state, there is one but its hours aren’t workable for my schedule. Why do people insist on thinking everyone has the same options they have?

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Re: angelw (# 7)

Many times I have had my Dr of many years refer me to the Pharmacist when I have specific medication questions. Pharmacists r very. Knowledgeable on the effects of meds.

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Whaa (# 13) --

I just find that hard to believe I really do. And you weren’t the only one, others as well said they only have one choice and there are no other smaller pharmacies???

First of all, you do NOT live in a small town if you have a Walgreens there! No corporation is going to justify the expense of opening one of the locations in a town that cannot support it.

And I also absolutely guarantee you that before Walgreens or CVS came along, there were more than just a couple of smaller pharmacies operating there to begin with, which is why the big brand name people decided to open up shop.

I have lived in small towns my entire life and I’m almost 60. I currently live in a VERY small town in western NC with a population of 8900. For the record, any town under 10,000 is considered small. And we not only have a Walgreens sitting on the corner (not a 24 hr just regular hours) but TWO small mom-and-pop pharmacies as well.

You can say they ran the smaller ones out of business, but that is very rare! Being born and raised and living in small towns across the country I can tell you about small town people‘s mentality. And that is they stick with the small local businesses that they grew up with! Especially when it comes to medications and the trust factor.

And if your town is so small there isn’t, then Walgreens wouldn’t BE in your town but the neighboring town!! Simply put, ANY town that’s large enough to have a Walgreens is going to have at least one other smaller pharmacy I absolutely guarantee you.

But why are we talking about small towns anyway? I never said anything about a small town. So to use your example is not even relevant to begin with, because I am talking about nationwide and I am talking about medium, large, very large and gigantic cities that encompass 98% of the Walgreens and CVS’s that have one every 10 blocks like a convenient store. So to use an example that only applies to one percent of the situation is not a good example.

Others also said they like the fact that the doctor can send it electronically. Others thuan medications can be filled automatically. Every pharmacy I have ever visited will fill your script automatically and the doctor can send it electronically as well, which this electronic thing is kind of new to begin with when it comes to Narcotics and only been implemented for less than a year.

I haven’t seen any reason to justify using them yet, just people who are uninformed (thinking certain services are only offered by them, or not knowing there is another pharmacy down the road if they’ll check) except ONE.

That was someone said that while they are traveling they have a complete record of them on file. That is a GREAT example and I do agree that would be a good reason to stick with the pharmacy. But again, would only apply to a very small minuscule % of people.

To say ONLY If you do a lot of traveling and ONLY when if during your travels you have so many medications you have issues filling them locally.

If I was that type person? I very well indeed would probably stick with the top three!

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I go to CVS because my pm Dr. is out of the County, and it seems no one wants to fill those kinds of scripts. But I have no problem filling at CVS in my county. I walk in, hand the pharmacy tech my scripts, they all know me now. I sit down, wait about 10-15 minutes and walk out with my scripts. And my insurance pay's most of it. I got a small co-pay.....So, I feel once you get established with a good pharmacist, CVS or not and they get to know you and fill your scripts. Why change a good thing? If it's not broken, don't try to fix it!

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madashell (# 10) --

I had a simular situation happen to me at Walgreens several years ago. I went there with a script for 120 pervs, I got out to my car and counted them. There was only 100 in the bottle, the bottle was completely full, you couldn't of put anymore in it. So I went back into Walgreens and the proof was they couldn't get 120 in that bottle, so the pharmacist gave me the other 20. I believe he was going to keep them. His mistake was using to small of a bottle, and he probably didn't think I would count them. I've never filled there again. I probably should of turned him in. But I got all my meds and no damage done. They just lost my business. And I'm not a snich. I told my friends and they won't go there either.

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Sometimes you are LOCKED IN to what your crappy insurance will cover, IMHO THEY have DEALS with the large chains. AND IMHO mom and pop stores are few and far between and service is NOT what it used to be. Sadly

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Re: w john (# 21)

You have to be careful when you get your prescriptions filled. One time I was getting my Norco filled at Walgreen's and I get 120 10/325 and when I got the prescription back they only had filled for 20 and it said no refills. I am glad I didn't leave the store before I noticed this. The pharmacist claims when he put the prescription through the machine it cut off part of the number so it was only showing 20 to be filled. This isn't the first time this has happened. So read and look at the prescription before you leave the store.

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Re: Eric (# 26)

You make some very good points and I shared a similar experience recently. I have been going to a small neighborhood pharmacy for almost 30 years. A few months ago, they closed their doors without telling the people depending on them. I received a letter the day after the store closed telling me all my information was transferred to a nearby Walgreens. I have had trouble with every prescription I have filled at Walgreens since then. Apparently the small family run neighborhood pharmacies are being forced out of business. Unknown to most consumers, there is a cap on the number of prescriptions a pharmacy can fill for controlled substances on a monthly basis. When Walgreens took over all the scripts from my pharmacy, no one thought to check if they would be able to fill all the new prescriptions that would be sent there. I have considered switching but I hear the same thing about all the “big name” pharmacies. I was shocked and felt betrayed by the owner and pharmacists I knew for years because I was in the day before they closed and everything looked the same as it usually did; no signs of closing the doors permanently.

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Re: w john (# 27)

Do you know where your medicines come from? It can actually be something of a challenge to find out, because unlike shirts or apples, drugs do not have to be labeled with country of origin. As it turns out, over the past two decades, the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has followed the same route as many other industries. Now, experts estimate that about four-fifths of the medications we take were made in China or India.

A high proportion of these are generic drugs that the FDA has approved as equivalent to the brand name product. But how good is the quality control? FDA has limited ability and personnel to inspect manufacturing facilities in China.

A recent recall underscores the potential hazards. On July 5, 2018, the European Medicines Agency recalled the blood pressure pill valsartan made by the Zhejiang HuaHai Pharmaceutical Company in Linhai, China. Apparently the pills had been contaminated with a probable human carcinogen, NDMA. A week later, on July 13, 2018, the FDA followed suit and recalled valsartan alone or in combination with hydrochlorothiazide from Major Pharmaceuticals, Solco Healthcare and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.

Does It Matter If Your Pills Were Made in China?

If Chinese companies suddenly stopped providing active pharmaceutical ingredients or finished pharmaceutical products to the US, the health care system would be in trouble within a short time. So many of our medicines are made in China that critical drug shortages would endanger lives.

Our guest describes how the business of making drugs for the US market has changed and what the implications are. What, if anything, should we health care consumers do to protect ourselves?

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Re: Eric (# 26)

A couple of things. The pharmacy one goes to is often limited to the pharmacies that ones insurance will accept as “in network”. Second, it is at the corporate level that a problem starts but you are either a nice person or you are not. Too often pharmacy employees will treat you well or not so nice depending on what you have a prescription for. High blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication, and these types of medications and most often you are treated fine. However, if you bring in a prescription for a pain medication you might well be treated like a criminal. The pharmacy employees for the most part will talk to you in a derisive manner and you get a lot of “side eye” looks. I went to a Walgreen’s for over 20 years and thought I knew all of the employees well. Then when I was prescribed a pain med these “nice people”turned immediately into rude and judgemental people. Sure there are nice people in Walgreen’s but they are a rare breed if you hand them a prescription for a pain medication.

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Unfortunately, not every community has small pharmacies anymore. One local branch of a small pharmacy near me closed last year and shifted their business to CVS. There really is no other viable choice for most people. The third option that many low income people choose is Walmart. They have a pharmacy service which is comparable to others. I utilize Walgreens because they provide delivery as well and in the winter time that is a necessity considering where I live. Another factor to consider is that the evil in this equation is the at the corporate level, not at the local level. Most local stores are run by honorable people, all of whom need a job to live. They live in our communities, and we know them, and know that they are honest people. There may be a few bad apples now and again but they always get caught, fired, or move on. Bottom line is that the problem is at the corporate level, not below it. If change is to happen it must happen there.

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Re: Tim (# 20)

Wow! Great story and good deducing skills as well :) you are definitely one of the very few to have any luck in getting the pills back!

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In the last decade most of the patents for these medications have expired, and so now more than 85% of the medicines that are commonly prescribed by doctors are generic and very cheap. Medications that used to cost pharmacies $400 for 100 pills (and then were sold to you for a profit) now cost pharmacies anywhere from $1-$10 per 100 pills. That’s right: many medicines got more than 100 times cheaper. What they sell them for, though, is their business.

Prescription medication prices began dropping as more medications became generic. This would have been bad news for insurance companies if people found out, since it would undercut their control over prescription medication purchases. To prevent this news from getting out, insurance companies (or, rather, their pharmacy benefit managers which will be discussed in the next section) issued gag orders to pharmacies so they couldn’t discuss prescription drug prices with their customers. If a pharmacy violated their gag order, the insurance company would retaliate by not allowing their members to buy prescription drugs at that pharmacy. These gag orders ensured that most people would continue to use their insurance to buy generic medications even though they didn’t need to. Since 2001 both CVS and Walgreens have nearly quadrupled their total revenue from retail prescription drug sales and doubled their number of retail pharmacies in the U.S. They were able to fund this growth mostly from the sale of generic prescription medications sold to customers, almost all of whom used a third party payer (insurance) to buy their prescriptions.

What’s more, people might pay several hundred dollars a year to get prescription drug coverage on their insurance, even though that coverage often increases the amounts they pay for their medications and cost the insurance company nothing. It’s like buying a book of coupons that say “one for the price of two” at your local grocery store. You can see why they didn’t want to tell you about it.....

truecostofhealthcare.org/medications

Lot more on this subject at the above website.

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Re: BiggerBrat (# 22)

I guess it is not the company but the employees. I have had a totally different experience with Walgreen’s. After having done business with Walgreen’s over 20 years and in two different States the relationship went South fast when I asked a question about why the quality of the Norco generics went suddenly so bad. The Watson brand generics were just fine. They were replaced by the “Actavis” brand and that brand is awful. The people at Walgreen’s told me to basically go pound sand if I did not like it. I never had a complaint in over 20 years with Walgreen’s then I ran across some surly, arrogant employee and I took my business elsewhere. Btw, my State law requires a hard copy every month for pain type medications. No phone ins are allowed. Also, many Doctors will not phone in or fax in a prescription for opioid based medications regardless of what the law says.

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Re: Tim (# 20)

Yeah, it happens. I had an Rx filled at RiteAid. The pills were in a small bag with paperwork. I got home, opened the bag and there was only one bottle that said 1 of 2. I called RiteAid and they said to come back and they would fix it. Things is over a couple years I had a number of problems with RiteAid. Finally I went to Walgreens. I love it, my doctor calls the Rx in and when its ready Walgreens calls me. RiteAid never had my Rx's done in a timely manner. Walgreens is always done in a timely manner and so many other things they've been helpful with.

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