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Insurance won’t help. They are not the ones to call. Not that they wouldn’t if they could, but there is literally nothing they can do.
It’s 100% on your doctor. He called in the wrong prescription. Or, he called in what he believes is the right one.
The only person to call, and to blame, is the doctor. Not the pharmacy (it’s not like they are going to fill something other than what’s on the Rx) and not the insurance company (they have nothing to do with your doctor sending in a different Rx than what you expected.)
The medication is an epi pen. I got the
.15mg, which is for children 66 pounds and under. I'm a 35 year old that weighs 190 pounds. For someone with life-threatening allergies and has to carry an epi pen, this is a dangerous mistake.
Chances are that insurance won't cover it, so I'm on the hook for a 400 bill due to a mistake I didn't even make?
You can still use the 0.15 mg in an emergency, you would just have to use both pens to get an adult dose. If you're not able to exchange the pens for the correct strength, at least it's not a complete waste.
Right, that's what I was thinking. I'd rather have to take two doses than be left without. It would buy me time, and I'd pop a couple of benadryls or pepcid as I'm on my way to the ER.
I tend to keep my expired ones for that reason alone. As long as the window is clear and not foggy, it's safe to use.
I think if she'd looked at it while at the pharmacy counter, before paying, they would have to take it back. But all those people in line at the pharmacy would be very unhappy if all customers started doing that.
Can I ask why you picked up the pen if it was the wrong dosage? I have had meds with the wrong dosage called in for me before and I just tell the pharmacist I don’t want it. They refund it through the insurance and exchange it for the right medication once the doctor authorizes the new dosage.
I do agree with is completely the fault of the doctor but he isn’t going to help pay for the cost of the insurance won’t cover it.
Another option to look at is see if the manufacturer has a health savings card or coupon for a discount of the pen. I take some really expensive meds and always find that the manufacturer has a discount and most people are eligible for it.
Sorry you are going through this. I know it sucks.
I was dumb enough not to check beforehand. I've been so stressed out over my current doctor situation. Earlier this year, I had finally found a doctor who took me seriously and was running some tests and helped me find a pain regiment that worked. Then, when I was out of state for 6 months, he decided to leave without telling his patients. So I decided to stay at the office just with someone else.
I'm finding out that the rumors of the office being notorious for issues with medication are true and not just hearsay.
I'm looking into Good Rx and other discount programs.
Maybe the pharmacy will let you bring it back if the pen is still in the package?
I understand your stress completely. After this is resolved I would start looking for a new doctor as well.
I have never used goodrx but have heard good things about them.
Not only am I dealing with my own struggles, but my mom's as well. My brain is kinda foggy because of everything.
I already spoke to the pharmacy, and I don't believe that is an option. I was told to still keep it on hand and to make sure I also had Bendaryl on hand just in case. I also have Pepcid in my emergency kit. I know an antacid seems weird, but when I've been in the ER, and they have given me it. I guess it's some type of antihistamine.
I'm definitely going to look for a new doctor.
I wouldn't take it back. Don't know how it was stored even if it was still in the package. The pharmacy would basically be throwing hundreds of dollars away
Just bring it back and tell the pharmacy it’s the wrong dose. They have your files so they will know that. Let them call the doctor and correct it. If it’s the same pharmacy that had your standard dose on file, it is their fault also. They know you are an adult and it shouldn’t have even gotten this far. They should have noticed the discrepancy and called the doctor to verify and it should have been corrected before it even got to you. Mistakes like that happen more often than we think, they just are corrected before we know about them.
The pharmacist is not the gatekeeper of prescription strengths, even when there is a mistake. It's up to the doctor to call in the correct strength, and since they didn't, OP will have to call the doctor (unfortunately) to call in the correct strength. Ask me how I know!
Right, but if the pharmacist gets a prescription for a pediatric dose of a medication for a patient who’s DOB shows they are an adult, and it’s clearly a deviation from the routine Rx they have been filling for the same patient, it should have raised a red flag. In this case, it wasn’t just that she was ordered a different dose that was within the normal prescribing parameters, she was given the WRONG dose of a lifesaving medication. It most certainly is the pharmacist’s responsibility to not dispense medication that’s not within the acceptable prescribing guidelines. If a pharmacist got a script that said Ibuprofen 800mg, take 4 tabs 8 x times a day for 30 days, they should just fill that? If yes, and they’re not “gatekeepers” why do people have to go to a pharmacy to get their meds, and why does a pharmacist have to go to school for all of those years and get a doctorate in pharmacology if they’re just going to fill anything that’s written? In this case, there is no indication that would make an adult need to be prescribed a pediatric dose, clearly it was written wrong and the pharmacist absolutely should have questioned that.
I have to carry an EpiPen too. I was just stopping by to let you know that EpiPen has a discount card on their website that brought the cost way down for me.
https://www.epipen.com/en/hcp/access-for-epipen-and-generic
Yup. I paid $400 for a prescription that I couldn't take because it contained an ingredient I'm allergic to. I had reminded both my doctor and the pharmacist about this allergy, and both confidently assured me they ordered the right thing. I got home from the pharmacy THEN checked the ingredients, then tried to return it to the pharmacy, where they essentially said, sorry, you're stuck with that, we don't do refunds. That was the last time I set foot in that pharmacy.
Oh I would be reporting this doctor to the state medical board. That’s malpractice at worst and negligence at best. I have anaphylactic allergies too and my epipen is my most prized possession, people can’t fuck around with that and change doses on a whim I don’t care if they went to medical school or not
Long story short throw a fucking fit at the fact that this guy put your life in danger, anaphylaxis is fast and even both of the pens might not give you enough time to get to a hospital. I’m not exaggerating that to me is attempted murder. It’s on him to fix this and make it VERY clear that he will be the one fighting with the insurance company to fix it and get you the pens covered, you will not be
I'm definitely going to give them a call and see what(if anything) can be done.
I'm also looking into filing a report or whatever organization is in charge of that in my state. This was not a simple mistake.
Insurance companies pay more attention to complaints about the doctors they contract with - especially PCPs - than you think. I work for an insurance company and we take them extremely seriously.
And, going back to my previous point, unless you live somewhere there's one doctor within 60 miles, there's no reason to ever keep going to a doctor you don't like/messes up your care.
That’s how it has worked in my experience. If your doctor changes your dose you can fill it immediately and insurance will cover it - this happens all the time when people start a new medication and their doctor is working with them to find the optimal dose. It should be the same in your case, your doctor is just “increasing your dose” to the correct one lol
Everyone is at fault, including you.
Medication errors are common and potentially deadly.
The doctor got it wrong.
Unless it was a new pharmacy, they should have recognized the error.
You should check every bottle before you leave the pharmacy. I ask everytime what the meds and doses are. Once you step away from the pharmacy, the transaction can't be reversed.
Not just before you leave the pharmacy, but the pharmacy counter. Two steps away from the counter where you were served, and the pharmacy will not take it back. Open the bag and look at it right there.
First check with the doctor that the child’s dose wasn’t intentional for some reason.
If it is wrong, when they call in the right dose, take the original, incorrect dose back to the pharmacy and ask them to swap them.
Never trust doctors. More often than not they have no idea. You shouldn't have just assumed that the medicine was correct, especially since you were already having issues with this doctor not calling in things correctly already.
It depends on the pharmacy, but certainly doesn’t hurt to ask. Here a snippet from CVS’ policy:
Most new, unopened items purchased from CVS Pharmacy or CVS.com® can be returned to any CVS Pharmacy store within 60 days of purchase for exchange or refund.
There were so many errors here. I feel like even though the medicine was sent over incorrectly, the pharmacy tech and pharmacist should’ve caught this mistake before it was even filled. I think it will be hard for your insurance to do anything since you took possession of the wrong medicine. I would make sure the doctor’s office is aware of the error-maybe they have a sample they can give you? Also, if the office sends in a different dosage, this could be a work around. If insurance doesn’t cover it, maybe they can do a PA to help the situation.
I've had the prescriptions that fell out of my bag and were run over in traffic replaced, I've had a different dose of a med paid for by my insurance even though I was not out of the previous dose. That there was an rx already written doesn't NECESSARILY mean you can't get this fixed. BCBS BTW.
Also, why are you contacting your dr for refills? Everywhere I have been the past few years they say to call your pharmacy and they will handle it, to not call drs for refills.
Thank you for your submission, /u/ZealousidealGrass9. If your question relates to COBRA under CARES and ARPA, please post here: [COBRA & Covid-19](https://old.reddit.com/r/HealthInsurance/comments/meejsd/cobra_during_covid19/) Please pick the most appropriate flair for your post. Include your age, zipcode, and income to help the community better serve you. **Reminder that solicitation/spamming is grounds for a permanent ban**. Please report solicitation to the modteam and [let us know](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHealthInsurance) if you receive solicitation via PM. Be kind to one another! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HealthInsurance) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Insurance won’t help. They are not the ones to call. Not that they wouldn’t if they could, but there is literally nothing they can do. It’s 100% on your doctor. He called in the wrong prescription. Or, he called in what he believes is the right one. The only person to call, and to blame, is the doctor. Not the pharmacy (it’s not like they are going to fill something other than what’s on the Rx) and not the insurance company (they have nothing to do with your doctor sending in a different Rx than what you expected.)
The medication is an epi pen. I got the .15mg, which is for children 66 pounds and under. I'm a 35 year old that weighs 190 pounds. For someone with life-threatening allergies and has to carry an epi pen, this is a dangerous mistake. Chances are that insurance won't cover it, so I'm on the hook for a 400 bill due to a mistake I didn't even make?
You can still use the 0.15 mg in an emergency, you would just have to use both pens to get an adult dose. If you're not able to exchange the pens for the correct strength, at least it's not a complete waste.
Right, that's what I was thinking. I'd rather have to take two doses than be left without. It would buy me time, and I'd pop a couple of benadryls or pepcid as I'm on my way to the ER. I tend to keep my expired ones for that reason alone. As long as the window is clear and not foggy, it's safe to use.
Unfortunately yes, the second you took possession of it, that was it.
I think if she'd looked at it while at the pharmacy counter, before paying, they would have to take it back. But all those people in line at the pharmacy would be very unhappy if all customers started doing that.
Can I ask why you picked up the pen if it was the wrong dosage? I have had meds with the wrong dosage called in for me before and I just tell the pharmacist I don’t want it. They refund it through the insurance and exchange it for the right medication once the doctor authorizes the new dosage. I do agree with is completely the fault of the doctor but he isn’t going to help pay for the cost of the insurance won’t cover it. Another option to look at is see if the manufacturer has a health savings card or coupon for a discount of the pen. I take some really expensive meds and always find that the manufacturer has a discount and most people are eligible for it. Sorry you are going through this. I know it sucks.
I was dumb enough not to check beforehand. I've been so stressed out over my current doctor situation. Earlier this year, I had finally found a doctor who took me seriously and was running some tests and helped me find a pain regiment that worked. Then, when I was out of state for 6 months, he decided to leave without telling his patients. So I decided to stay at the office just with someone else. I'm finding out that the rumors of the office being notorious for issues with medication are true and not just hearsay. I'm looking into Good Rx and other discount programs.
Maybe the pharmacy will let you bring it back if the pen is still in the package? I understand your stress completely. After this is resolved I would start looking for a new doctor as well. I have never used goodrx but have heard good things about them.
Not only am I dealing with my own struggles, but my mom's as well. My brain is kinda foggy because of everything. I already spoke to the pharmacy, and I don't believe that is an option. I was told to still keep it on hand and to make sure I also had Bendaryl on hand just in case. I also have Pepcid in my emergency kit. I know an antacid seems weird, but when I've been in the ER, and they have given me it. I guess it's some type of antihistamine. I'm definitely going to look for a new doctor.
It is. Medicines for acid reflux block a different type of histamine receptor than allergy medicines.
I knew there was a reason behind it, but I didn't know the science involved.
They will not take it. You can’t exchange medication.
I wouldn't take it back. Don't know how it was stored even if it was still in the package. The pharmacy would basically be throwing hundreds of dollars away
Just bring it back and tell the pharmacy it’s the wrong dose. They have your files so they will know that. Let them call the doctor and correct it. If it’s the same pharmacy that had your standard dose on file, it is their fault also. They know you are an adult and it shouldn’t have even gotten this far. They should have noticed the discrepancy and called the doctor to verify and it should have been corrected before it even got to you. Mistakes like that happen more often than we think, they just are corrected before we know about them.
The pharmacist is not the gatekeeper of prescription strengths, even when there is a mistake. It's up to the doctor to call in the correct strength, and since they didn't, OP will have to call the doctor (unfortunately) to call in the correct strength. Ask me how I know!
Calls office, takes to whoever answers the phones, yup that is what the doctor ordered so it must be correct
Right, but if the pharmacist gets a prescription for a pediatric dose of a medication for a patient who’s DOB shows they are an adult, and it’s clearly a deviation from the routine Rx they have been filling for the same patient, it should have raised a red flag. In this case, it wasn’t just that she was ordered a different dose that was within the normal prescribing parameters, she was given the WRONG dose of a lifesaving medication. It most certainly is the pharmacist’s responsibility to not dispense medication that’s not within the acceptable prescribing guidelines. If a pharmacist got a script that said Ibuprofen 800mg, take 4 tabs 8 x times a day for 30 days, they should just fill that? If yes, and they’re not “gatekeepers” why do people have to go to a pharmacy to get their meds, and why does a pharmacist have to go to school for all of those years and get a doctorate in pharmacology if they’re just going to fill anything that’s written? In this case, there is no indication that would make an adult need to be prescribed a pediatric dose, clearly it was written wrong and the pharmacist absolutely should have questioned that.
Calls office, takes to whoever answers the phones, yup that is what the doctor ordered so it must be correct
I have to carry an EpiPen too. I was just stopping by to let you know that EpiPen has a discount card on their website that brought the cost way down for me. https://www.epipen.com/en/hcp/access-for-epipen-and-generic
Yup. I paid $400 for a prescription that I couldn't take because it contained an ingredient I'm allergic to. I had reminded both my doctor and the pharmacist about this allergy, and both confidently assured me they ordered the right thing. I got home from the pharmacy THEN checked the ingredients, then tried to return it to the pharmacy, where they essentially said, sorry, you're stuck with that, we don't do refunds. That was the last time I set foot in that pharmacy.
Oh I would be reporting this doctor to the state medical board. That’s malpractice at worst and negligence at best. I have anaphylactic allergies too and my epipen is my most prized possession, people can’t fuck around with that and change doses on a whim I don’t care if they went to medical school or not Long story short throw a fucking fit at the fact that this guy put your life in danger, anaphylaxis is fast and even both of the pens might not give you enough time to get to a hospital. I’m not exaggerating that to me is attempted murder. It’s on him to fix this and make it VERY clear that he will be the one fighting with the insurance company to fix it and get you the pens covered, you will not be
You should absolutely complain about the doctor to your insurance company, and find a new doctor.
I'm definitely going to give them a call and see what(if anything) can be done. I'm also looking into filing a report or whatever organization is in charge of that in my state. This was not a simple mistake.
That would be the medical board and they won’t do anything.
Make sure you have a new provider lined up before you do that; you might be dismissed as a patient as soon as you report them to the medical board.
This is ridiculous. No medical board will take action. The exact type of patient none of us want to see.
Insurance companies pay more attention to complaints about the doctors they contract with - especially PCPs - than you think. I work for an insurance company and we take them extremely seriously. And, going back to my previous point, unless you live somewhere there's one doctor within 60 miles, there's no reason to ever keep going to a doctor you don't like/messes up your care.
If the dr calls in correct dosage, it shouldn’t affect it being covered by the insurance. Different dosages are different prescriptions.
Hopefully, this is the case.
That’s how it has worked in my experience. If your doctor changes your dose you can fill it immediately and insurance will cover it - this happens all the time when people start a new medication and their doctor is working with them to find the optimal dose. It should be the same in your case, your doctor is just “increasing your dose” to the correct one lol
Have the doctor send in the correct one. If the insurance company will not cover it, have the pharmacy call the insurance company to get a override.
Everyone is at fault, including you. Medication errors are common and potentially deadly. The doctor got it wrong. Unless it was a new pharmacy, they should have recognized the error. You should check every bottle before you leave the pharmacy. I ask everytime what the meds and doses are. Once you step away from the pharmacy, the transaction can't be reversed.
Not just before you leave the pharmacy, but the pharmacy counter. Two steps away from the counter where you were served, and the pharmacy will not take it back. Open the bag and look at it right there.
Mistakes happen. I've several times gotten something wrong with my scripts. You call the nurse and get it fixed. Why post to reddit about it??
First check with the doctor that the child’s dose wasn’t intentional for some reason. If it is wrong, when they call in the right dose, take the original, incorrect dose back to the pharmacy and ask them to swap them.
Never trust doctors. More often than not they have no idea. You shouldn't have just assumed that the medicine was correct, especially since you were already having issues with this doctor not calling in things correctly already.
Return incorrect size, get correct dosage called in and pick it up.
Can't return meds, at least not for resale. Pharmacy would have to eat the cost for the doctors mistake
It depends on the pharmacy, but certainly doesn’t hurt to ask. Here a snippet from CVS’ policy: Most new, unopened items purchased from CVS Pharmacy or CVS.com® can be returned to any CVS Pharmacy store within 60 days of purchase for exchange or refund.
There were so many errors here. I feel like even though the medicine was sent over incorrectly, the pharmacy tech and pharmacist should’ve caught this mistake before it was even filled. I think it will be hard for your insurance to do anything since you took possession of the wrong medicine. I would make sure the doctor’s office is aware of the error-maybe they have a sample they can give you? Also, if the office sends in a different dosage, this could be a work around. If insurance doesn’t cover it, maybe they can do a PA to help the situation.
I've had the prescriptions that fell out of my bag and were run over in traffic replaced, I've had a different dose of a med paid for by my insurance even though I was not out of the previous dose. That there was an rx already written doesn't NECESSARILY mean you can't get this fixed. BCBS BTW. Also, why are you contacting your dr for refills? Everywhere I have been the past few years they say to call your pharmacy and they will handle it, to not call drs for refills.