Mays Drug Warehouse, Ada, OK - Scriptsave - upset with prices charges on prescriptions

# 6 for June 3, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on June 2, 2003:

From: Scott Grummons [Email User]

RE: Mays Drug Warehouse, Ada, OK - Scriptsave - upset with prices charges on prescriptions

My wife and I just got with a different insurance company, called Scriptsave. They are the objects of this letter also. I had just been to the doctors and was to have a few prescriptions filled. I instructed my doctor to call it into Mays; they are the only ones that take Scriptsave. I understand that is because there is a $1 to fill a prescription with them. I went up to the girl in the window and explained what I wanted and gave her my information, along with the insurance card. She did what she does with a new customer and handed my card back. I had my 2 youngest children, age 4 and 20 months. Went to sit down hoping it wouldn't take to long. An hour later I am called to the window, a bit excessive time wise but hey, it was the first time there. She asked about any insurance, I gave her my card and explained that I already gave it to the first girl but for her to go ahead and copy the info. She actually stopped walking, turned to me and said, "no you didn't give anyone the card because if you had, we would have had a copy". Okay I'm thinking that's cool, she has the card now and she can make her copies or whatever. She acted like I had challenged her or something because instead of taking the card to get her info, she asks; "do you have a different card that you want to use?" Asking if there was a reason I didn't give it to them at the beginning. I don't know why she had a problem but I conceded to her just so she would get it copied. After 50 minutes I was called to the counter, alas they were done and I could finally get my squirming, bored and obnoxious kids to the car. Wrong! There were only 2 prescriptions filled. I asked about the third and learned that supposedly my doctor never called and there were just transferred from my other pharmacy. I had to insist that my doctor was to have called in and that there was 3 not 2. They did fill my Amitriptyline and Inderal but not my Stadol. There are used to treat migraines, of which I had a severe one then and in no mood to argue. Finally the pharmacist checked his voice mail and guess what? There was the order that was called in. By now it was no surprise to find that there was a mistake, showing zero refills for the butorphanol. A call to the doc confirmed that there was 5 plus the one that was already filled. Called back to the pharmacy and they offered to call the doctors office and look into it. Sweet gesture huh? The Scriptsave program says that either the pharmacy will give the great 25% discounted price or after I pay for it, send in the paperwork for reimbursement of covered expenses. Interesting, after I paid $146.03 for my first script, Amitriptyline 75mg (NDC-00603-2215-21 RX: 29-955194), Inderal LA 160mg (NDC: 00046-0479-81) and Butorphanol 10mg/ml spray #3 (NDC:00378-9639-43 RX:29-415023) I figured that I would have to mail the receipts in to get the reimbursement. Acceptable, I can do that. Today I took my kids to the doctors, they were given prescriptions which I took to my other pharmacy, one we have used for years. Since I was in town and didn't plan on being back until next week, I called in for a refill of my Butorphanol. Got that done at $68.21. Thank goodness for the 25% discount. As I was leaving I decided to verify how it worked. The cashier said he thought that the discount was applied. He took offense when I asked him to verify if it was or not and said I would have to wait until the pharmacist got off the phone and walked away. The pharmacist said yes, looking at the receipt, pointed to the yellow price and said that the yellow hi-light meant that the price was correct. This medication is one that I get most times when I see my doctor and knew that the price charged at the "discount" was very close to the price I have paid at other times. I asked the pharmacist where my kids prescriptions were filled about the price he charged. I was disgusted to find out that counter price is $60.72. Needless to say I am very upset with Mays Drug and Scriptsave and feel that I have been ripped off completely. I called around to other pharmacies and none charge over $64.00 for Butorphanol. Thinking I was saving money like Scriptsave promises, I actually overpaid $14.92 for the 2 that I had filled. I intend on checking into the prices for the other also. It seems that either Mays is overcharging for all medications, is jumping the price up when Scriptsave is used or something. When I asked the pharmacist I normally use about Scriptsave, he told me that the program was not worth the paper it was printed on. He does not allow it because of the $1 charge for every script that is filled plus like he said "25% of what? You won't get to know the price so where is the discount?" I realize that stores have to charge prices in accordance to their overhead, but I think that charging $75.67 for Butorphanol when right next door it costs $60.72. I intend on letting others know about this, we are a small town and it would be my duty to warn others about this scam. Sykes, where this is offered has 600 employees, how many use this I don't know but I plan on a mass email as a warning. I am a student at the college here and plan on writing a letter to the editor about it, the editor is a Mass Comm professor at the school. I am a mass comm. major and know him very well. I also know a number of the staff at the local paper, many of whom I have had classes with and have known for years. They will be receiving a letter to the editor about it and I hope they will investigate the way the pricing scam works. There will also be copies posted on the consumer complaint web boards.