1) Bring your insurance card.
If you’re using insurance to pay for your medication, be sure to bring your insurance card. This is especially important at the beginning of the new year when new cards are sent out. Even though many insurance cards look similar from year to year, there may be a slight change in the numbers we use for our billing at the pharmacy. It saves both of us time if you have your card on hand and we don’t need to contact your insurance company to verify information.
2) Pick up your prescription earlier in the day.
Generally, pharmacists are less busy in the morning, before that day’s prescriptions start to filter in. To reduce your time spent at the pharmacy, and make our lives easier as well, think about picking up your prescription in the morning!
3) Call about refills ahead of time.
This is really important. Be sure to call in your refills ahead of time just in case there is an unexpected delay at the pharmacy. Don’t wait until the last minute. Having a buffer of even a few days allows the pharmacist to contact your doctor’s office, insurance company, or order the medication—whatever the need might be.
4) Call your doctor for refills.
Pharmacists are more than willing to place a refill request with your doctor’s office, but more often than not, we have to leave a voicemail or send an electronic request. So, it may take some time for us to get a response. In most cases, it’s better if you speak with your doctor directly about refills, especially since they like to check in with patients regarding necessary blood tests or any side effects you may be experiencing before giving you more of the medication.
5) Get to know your pharmacist.
Once you begin to regularly use one pharmacy, I encourage you to get to know the pharmacists who work at the store. Not only does this make for a more enjoyable experience at the pharmacy, but this helps us ensure you get the best personalized care. We don’t bite, I promise!
6) Give us time to fill your prescriptions.
We do our best to fill prescriptions in a timely manner, but your prescription is one of the hundreds we receive every day. In chain pharmacies, new prescriptions generally take anywhere from 20 – 25 minutes to fill, while refills can take 10 – 15 minutes in smaller pharmacies. But remember, any issues with insurance or refills can delay this process for hours or even days.
Moral of the story: Your patience gives us time to accurately fill your prescription.
7) Tell us about your other medications and supplements.
This is important for your health and safety. Certain supplements and over-the-counter medications may interact with prescription medications, and could potentially cause life-threatening side effects. To avoid dangerous side effects, always be sure to talk to your pharmacist about any additional medications, vitamins, or supplements you may be taking.
8) If you have Medicare, bring your Part B and C cards.
If you have Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, we may need to see your Medicare B or C card. This is especially important if you are filling for diabetes test strips, breathing medications used in nebulizers, or any vaccines—all of these will need to be billed to your Medicare Part B insurance.
Long story short: Always carry all insurance cards with you when you need a prescription from the pharmacy.
9) Understand who’s involved in medication pricing.
If your medication cost is outrageous, or your insurance requires a prior authorization before you can get your medication, remember that pharmacists don’t make those rules. Although medication prices can sometimes be out of our control, we’ll do everything we can to point you to resources like GoodRx, share possible alternative drugs that may be cheaper, or share other savings tips so you can get the treatment you need.
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