Rx home delivery?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

I really do not like waiting in line, especially with people that might be sick. Pharmacies seem to take longer. I am somewhat aware that perhaps we could start doing business virtually and have medications delivered. Do any of you do this? What is the process like? Are meds properly refrigerated? Who do you suggest to use or avoid and why? What else is there to know? If it matters, nothing is controlled, one med needs not freeze or get too hot.
Thank you!
Pale Blue Dot
TT
Posts: 646
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:27 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by TT »

delete
Last edited by TT on Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Live Life Simple and Less Soft
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

TT wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:59 am Pharmacies in my area have drive through and delivery services if one is adverse to enter their facilities. My recent experiences with USPS are not good enough to entrust them with my Rxs.
Thanks, it is more so about sitting still and waiting. Driver thru seemed slow also.
Pale Blue Dot
User avatar
RickBoglehead
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:10 am
Location: In a house

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by RickBoglehead »

I wouldn't use a mail-order pharmacy for anything that needs to be refrigerated. Waiting in a pharmacy drive-thru is too difficult? Go before they get busy.
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:47 am I wouldn't use a mail-order pharmacy for anything that needs to be refrigerated. Waiting in a pharmacy drive-thru is too difficult? Go before they get busy.
I went at 5 am this morning, thus prompting this post.

TO BE CLEAR:
I am not interested in anything other than learning about an online pharmacy and home delivery.
Thanks
Pale Blue Dot
ag1
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:22 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by ag1 »

I recently started using a local single store pharmacy in my area after many years with the big chains. It has been an amazing experience. They deliver the medicines to home for free ( by car- not USPS). Medicines that need refrigeration are in a cold pack and delivered in person. Regular medicines he will leave by the door.
They answer their phones, pharmacist is always available. And my cost is the same as before.

Please explore if you have a local small pharmacy in your area.

Good luck
User avatar
nisiprius
Advisory Board
Posts: 52105
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by nisiprius »

The local chain pharmacy I use primarily offers "free delivery" meaning, apparently, that they actually put it in the USPS mail, or at least that is what they do on my routine "maintenance" prescriptions. During the pandemic I did that on the theory that a) it actually was first-class mail, and via a short route, so not too much time in transit and b) it was supporting a local branch (of a chain business). Keeping it busy so that branch will stay open and provide local jobs. It happens to be a 24x7 pharmacy so it is a Good Thing to Have. I worry just a little bit about whether full-service pharmacies... like full-service banks... might be a dying breed.

I recently used Costco Pharmacy for an Internet order for the first time. Since nowadays all my doctors' offices normally send prescriptions electronically, it is just as easy for them to send it to an Internet pharmacy as anywhere else. Costco shipped for free via "real" UPS with a tracking number.

Practically every health insurance company I've used for decades has offered a "mail-order pharmacy service." What they have had in common, besides lower co-pays or other inducements, is that they have used an unreliable service called Mail Innovations, which is some pasted-together mashup in which some service, perhaps UPS, takes the package the longest part of the way and then hands it off to the USPS for the local part. The time it takes is unpredictable--can be anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. And if anything goes wrong the "tracking" is a joke because all they can tell you is that it was "delivered" to a post office twenty miles away.

In the last few decades, every time I've ordered pills for delivery they have always been packed in the same way: a regular bottle of pills, without any cotton or other stuffing, in a tough Tyvek envelope without any packing material. So the whole thing is uncushioned and rattles when you pick it up. I've never seen any damage or abrasion in the pills, and I guess they know what they're doing. I suppose the pills need to get shipped to a drugstore in the first place. I don't know how to judge the general security of the shipping process (storage temperatures, etc.)

But also, as a life thing, I am trying to learn to become more patient. In addition to the obvious (listening to podcasts while waiting in line) I am also trying to cultivate the idea that I don't need to be entertained every waking moment. Nobody likes to wait, but feeling that you want instant response to all requests all the time is an addictive form of greed that I try to keep under control.
Last edited by nisiprius on Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

Pale Blue Dot
McDougal
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:42 pm
Location: Atlanta

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by McDougal »

If you have a few days buffer, you could have your physician's office send/call/fax the RX to the pharmacy, and pick it up after has been filled, at a time you know they are not so busy. (Publix pharmacy sends me a text when it is done to let me know). No line to drop it off, no line to pick it up. For refills, same thing, you call it in a few days before, and pick up at a time when they are not busy. The trick is to know the non-busy times, and this varies by pharmacy. Big box is almost always busy near me. Supermarkets near me have their busy and non-busy times. Independent pharmacies here have more non-busy times than the others.
Last edited by McDougal on Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
brian91480
Posts: 681
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:44 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by brian91480 »

Everyone should look into Costco. Even if you are not a member, I think non-members have access to the pharmacy. I am stunned how much cheaper my prescriptions are at Costco compared to other places. (they have some common pet medications too)
jebmke
Posts: 25271
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:44 pm
Location: Delmarva Peninsula

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by jebmke »

We used to use mail order, typically 90 day supplies. But then they started missing shipments and the USPS delays caused further issues (they lost shipments). We tried keeping a buffer and ordering early but the insurance company rejected the Rx.

We do drive up mostly now. Small town and there are times of day when lines at drive up are small or none.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
Jack FFR1846
Posts: 18461
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:05 am
Location: 26 miles, 385 yards west of Copley Square

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

A few thoughts: Your insurance might specify only one mail order service and won't pay for others.

If your choice is Express Scripts, pass and stand in line for an hour. They'll get it wrong for every single delivery and you'll spend an hour and a half on the phone trying to fix it. (we were forced into them for some time)

We get some stuff mail order through CVS. Has always been correct.

So the point is, your mileage may vary, depending on who the mail order company is.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
Marylander1
Posts: 579
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:18 pm
Location: Baltimore & DC

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Marylander1 »

We have a small independent community pharmacy with great service. I've waited as long as 5 minutes behind someone else in line, but most of the time the wait is zero or less than a minute. I've occasionally tried CVS and it's been much, much slower.

Marylander1
User avatar
Sandtrap
Posts: 19582
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:32 pm
Location: Hawaii No Ka Oi - white sandy beaches, N. Arizona 1 mile high.

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Sandtrap »

There is one pharmacy that FED EX overnights me refrigerated RX's in a foam box packed with cold packs at no extra charge when I need refills. The RX is controlled and needs to be very cold. I didn't know that this type of things was available so its been a pleasant surprise.

j :D
Wiki Bogleheads Wiki: Everything You Need to Know
Minty
Posts: 713
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: NorCal

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Minty »

I've used mail order pharmacies for years for medicine one family member or another takes regularly, and they work very well. Sometimes have to send an email to the doctor asking for a refill. On our health plan, it is much cheaper--although sometimes not going through insurance or using a coupon like from goodrx.com is cheaper. One medication used here must be refrigerated and it comes in a foam box with ice packs--never had a problem.
Core Four w/ nominal bonds & TIPS. Refi Rampage: Purchase: 3.875% 30 -> R1 3% 20 -> R2 2.375% 15 -> R3 1.99% 15 -> R4 1.875% 15
User avatar
HueyLD
Posts: 9782
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:30 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by HueyLD »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:46 am I really do not like waiting in line, especially with people that might be sick. Pharmacies seem to take longer. I am somewhat aware that perhaps we could start doing business virtually and have medications delivered. Do any of you do this? What is the process like? Are meds properly refrigerated? Who do you suggest to use or avoid and why? What else is there to know? If it matters, nothing is controlled, one med needs not freeze or get too hot.
Thank you!
It depends on where you live.

If you live in an area where the air temperatures are 100F or higher, your mailbox could be as hot as 150F and your meds could melt or decompose. Not recommended for such climate.
User avatar
ResearchMed
Posts: 16767
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:25 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by ResearchMed »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:52 am
RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:47 am I wouldn't use a mail-order pharmacy for anything that needs to be refrigerated. Waiting in a pharmacy drive-thru is too difficult? Go before they get busy.
I went at 5 am this morning, thus prompting this post.

TO BE CLEAR:
I am not interested in anything other than learning about an online pharmacy and home delivery.
Thanks
When you write "online pharmacy", do you mean that literally (i.e., an "online pharmacy with no B&M presence") or do you mean a local pharmacy (perhaps your current one) that ALSO offers online (or perhaps telephone) Rx fills/refills and then has it delivered to you?

IF the former, we have zero interest in some big, distant pharmacy.
IF the latter, we do this all the time, and at our local CVS, the small branch pharmacy that we've used for almost 20 years, except for occasional specialty meds that they don't/can't/won't get.
With our insurance, pre-Covid, we could get the same "90 day quantity" locally at the same price as we'd have paid using an "online pharmacy" such as Express Scripts. But pre-Covid, we'd pick up the meds.

The local pharmacy sends it though the mail and we get it next day if we call early, in the morning.
Occasionally, we call a different pharmacy if we need something "now" and the little branch doesn't have it. They'll send it too.

This is all at NO charge, apparently due to Covid, and it now includes meds that ordinarily need to be signed for or show ID.

A new pharmacy (Walgreens) ordered a special med that the CVS stores near us couldn't get in the past. They sent it FedEx overnight yesterday, for delivery today, with full tracking. (It's not a controlled substance.)

In the past, when DH needed specially compounded eye drops without preservatives, yet another specialty pharmacy would make up a few dozen tiny (teeny tiny!) vials, and ship them frozen with ice packs (LOTS of ice packs!), via FedEx next day delivery. The amount of insulation around the vials and ice packs was... astonishing.
Back then, pre-covid, we had to pay for the delivery, but it was little enough that we didn't bother to drive and hour round trip to get it after the first time (when we discussed the med in person dirctly with the compounding pharmacist).

Many "local" pharmacies deliver, and by now, they should have a procedure well in place.
At least for CVS, we can also see when they've received an Rx from our physician, and "click" to have it filled and sent out.
That should be close enough to "online pharmacy" for you, even though it is a physical store...?

RM
This signature is a placebo. You are in the control group.
WillRetire
Posts: 775
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 10:01 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by WillRetire »

After filling a prescription, our local CVS gives us the option to have it mailed, delivered, or held for pickup. Via the CVS app, we can choose free U.S. mail delivery (which takes about 2 business days), or same-day delivery (for a charge). If we choose neither of those, it is held at the pharmacy for pickup.
User avatar
Sandtrap
Posts: 19582
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:32 pm
Location: Hawaii No Ka Oi - white sandy beaches, N. Arizona 1 mile high.

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Sandtrap »

ResearchMed wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:11 am
4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:52 am
RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:47 am I wouldn't use a mail-order pharmacy for anything that needs to be refrigerated. Waiting in a pharmacy drive-thru is too difficult? Go before they get busy.
I went at 5 am this morning, thus prompting this post.

TO BE CLEAR:
I am not interested in anything other than learning about an online pharmacy and home delivery.
Thanks
When you write "online pharmacy", do you mean that literally (i.e., an "online pharmacy with no B&M presence") or do you mean a local pharmacy (perhaps your current one) that ALSO offers online (or perhaps telephone) Rx fills/refills and then has it delivered to you?

IF the former, we have zero interest in some big, distant pharmacy.
IF the latter, we do this all the time, and at our local CVS, the small branch pharmacy that we've used for almost 20 years, except for occasional specialty meds that they don't/can't/won't get.
With our insurance, pre-Covid, we could get the same "90 day quantity" locally at the same price as we'd have paid using an "online pharmacy" such as Express Scripts. But pre-Covid, we'd pick up the meds.

The local pharmacy sends it though the mail and we get it next day if we call early, in the morning.
Occasionally, we call a different pharmacy if we need something "now" and the little branch doesn't have it. They'll send it too.

This is all at NO charge, apparently due to Covid, and it now includes meds that ordinarily need to be signed for or show ID.

A new pharmacy (Walgreens) ordered a special med that the CVS stores near us couldn't get in the past. They sent it FedEx overnight yesterday, for delivery today, with full tracking. (It's not a controlled substance.)

In the past, when DH needed specially compounded eye drops without preservatives, yet another specialty pharmacy would make up a few dozen tiny (teeny tiny!) vials, and ship them frozen with ice packs (LOTS of ice packs!), via FedEx next day delivery. The amount of insulation around the vials and ice packs was... astonishing.
Back then, pre-covid, we had to pay for the delivery, but it was little enough that we didn't bother to drive and hour round trip to get it after the first time (when we discussed the med in person dirctly with the compounding pharmacist).

Many "local" pharmacies deliver, and by now, they should have a procedure well in place.
At least for CVS, we can also see when they've received an Rx from our physician, and "click" to have it filled and sent out.
That should be close enough to "online pharmacy" for you, even though it is a physical store...?

RM
This is great info.
Thanks for taking the time for a long post.

I'll look into the RX's I pickup now to see if they can also be delivered this way.
Mahalo
j :D
Wiki Bogleheads Wiki: Everything You Need to Know
Old Guy
Posts: 660
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:20 am
Location: On the beach in SC. Hilton Head Island.

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Old Guy »

My chain pharmacy, CVS, texts me when the prescription is ready and I drive over or ride my bike. No waiting.
User avatar
Kenkat
Posts: 9539
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:18 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Kenkat »

United Healthcare is always promoting Optum RX; although I have not used them, they seem pretty big. You might check with your health insurance company and see if they have a partnership with anyone as well.

https://www.optumrx.com/public/landing
DetroitRick
Posts: 1479
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:28 am
Location: SE Michigan

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by DetroitRick »

Here are our experience over the past few years.

A few years ago, Express Scripts acting as benefits manager for our health insurer, kept calling to convert our maintenance scripts to mail. Price was not substantively better. But I raised the issue of temperature controls, including in-transit and our mailbox (I can't guarantee it won't be in our box for a few hours). And understanding both the normal storage temps and manufacturer-specified excursions. Their answer was so vague that I didn't trust them and dropped the idea.

Wife has had great luck with her regular Kroger Pharmacy doing home delivery. We only used the service when COVID was at an extreme here, but it was free and fast. Not using it now, but would again if need arose. In using from early last year through this February - no issues at all.

Last year, my local pharmacy (Walgreens) offered home delivery. Not from the store itself, but via mail from their central warehouse in another state. It was a mediocre experience: 1)no temperature control, 2)uneven shipping times (but not bad considering nationwide logistics issues), 3)easy transition back and forth from mail to store (that worked flawlessly), 4)poor communications. It was an okay experience, but post-Covid, it is not worth the temperature issues to me as they used no temperature controls at all during weather extremes (winter, summer).

I'm now on Medicare D, and Express Scripts is again pharmacy benefits manager. Two phone calls and an email in the last month pushing conversion to their mail service. Almost no savings by doing so in my case - it would be all "convenience". I'm still concerned about temperature controls so I'm not considering. Retail pharmacies are close, have pre-pay to save time, and drive-throughs when I want. That's my current preference.

On the other hand, 5 years ago, we needed a maintenance mail-order drug for our dog. Service was unbelievable from that mail-order (non-human) pharmacy. Flawless delivery estimates and tracking, shipped in proper refrigerated containers that included temperature monitors, complete instructions on how to handle potential temperature issues, free replacements. It wasn't particularly expensive, but it taught me this CAN be done well.
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8620
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

I have used Humana's mail-order pharmacy for many years. All my prescriptions with the exception of my pain killers have 90 day refills, with four fills, so a year's worth of meds via one prescription.

For my pain killers and any immediately needed meds, like an antibiotic, I use the Publix pharmacy where we grocery shop.

The mail-order pharmacy benefit is we pay the same co-pay, if any, for a 90 day supply as we would for a 30 day supply filled locally.

My insulin is sent in a small foam chest with frozen gel packs, as it needs to be kept cool. No heat worries at all, as almost always all the other meds are in the foam chest.

All in all the Humana mail-order pharmacy has been very reliable, and cost effective.

FWIW, even during the pandemic we didn't experience any slowdowns for our meds. We are smart enough to not allow ourselves to be cut short even prior to the pandemic, we always have a bit of a cushion. The worry we had is I believe many generic meds are from India, and there was some fear of the supply chain being very stressed, or even broken, leading to shortages. Apparently the shortages did not actually occur, to my knowledge.

Humana reduced the interval to reorder during the pandemic, as some folks must have been having issues with deliveries.

MIL's drug plan was through Express Scripts (mentioned earlier), and it seemed as though there was always some issue or another. The issue might have been with Express Scripts, or CVS or Walgreens. Lots of finger-pointing going on. This was a few years ago, perhaps Express Scripts is better now.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

Sandtrap wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:04 am There is one pharmacy that FED EX overnights me refrigerated RX's in a foam box packed with cold packs at no extra charge when I need refills. The RX is controlled and needs to be very cold. I didn't know that this type of things was available so its been a pleasant surprise.

j :D

What p harmacy?
Pale Blue Dot
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

Minty wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:08 am I've used mail order pharmacies for years for medicine one family member or another takes regularly, and they work very well. Sometimes have to send an email to the doctor asking for a refill. On our health plan, it is much cheaper--although sometimes not going through insurance or using a coupon like from goodrx.com is cheaper. One medication used here must be refrigerated and it comes in a foam box with ice packs--never had a problem.
What pharmacy?
Pale Blue Dot
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:29 am A few thoughts: Your insurance might specify only one mail order service and won't pay for others.

If your choice is Express Scripts, pass and stand in line for an hour. They'll get it wrong for every single delivery and you'll spend an hour and a half on the phone trying to fix it. (we were forced into them for some time)

We get some stuff mail order through CVS. Has always been correct.

So the point is, your mileage may vary, depending on who the mail order company is.
Thanks for the feedback on Express Scripts.
Pale Blue Dot
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

brian91480 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:58 am Everyone should look into Costco. Even if you are not a member, I think non-members have access to the pharmacy. I am stunned how much cheaper my prescriptions are at Costco compared to other places. (they have some common pet medications too)
Do they deliver?
Pale Blue Dot
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

jebmke wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:21 am We used to use mail order, typically 90 day supplies. But then they started missing shipments and the USPS delays caused further issues (they lost shipments). We tried keeping a buffer and ordering early but the insurance company rejected the Rx.

We do drive up mostly now. Small town and there are times of day when lines at drive up are small or none.
Which mail order place did you have issues with?
Pale Blue Dot
User avatar
RickBoglehead
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:10 am
Location: In a house

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by RickBoglehead »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:39 am
brian91480 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:58 am Everyone should look into Costco. Even if you are not a member, I think non-members have access to the pharmacy. I am stunned how much cheaper my prescriptions are at Costco compared to other places. (they have some common pet medications too)
Do they deliver?
Only via Instacart.
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

WillRetire wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:19 am After filling a prescription, our local CVS gives us the option to have it mailed, delivered, or held for pickup. Via the CVS app, we can choose free U.S. mail delivery (which takes about 2 business days), or same-day delivery (for a charge). If we choose neither of those, it is held at the pharmacy for pickup.
Have you used the delivery function? How did it work for you?
Pale Blue Dot
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11769
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by cheese_breath »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:12 am
TT wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:59 am Pharmacies in my area have drive through and delivery services if one is adverse to enter their facilities. My recent experiences with USPS are not good enough to entrust them with my Rxs.
Thanks, it is more so about sitting still and waiting. Driver thru seemed slow also.
You could sit and wait in your car for a few minutes. Or you could sit at home for days wondering why your meds haven't arrived yet.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
WillRetire
Posts: 775
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 10:01 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by WillRetire »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:41 am
WillRetire wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:19 am After filling a prescription, our local CVS gives us the option to have it mailed, delivered, or held for pickup. Via the CVS app, we can choose free U.S. mail delivery (which takes about 2 business days), or same-day delivery (for a charge). If we choose neither of those, it is held at the pharmacy for pickup.
Have you used the delivery function? How did it work for you?
No, we have not tried the same-day delivery option. Just the free mail option, which has worked very well.
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

DetroitRick wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:45 am Here are our experience over the past few years.

A few years ago, Express Scripts acting as benefits manager for our health insurer, kept calling to convert our maintenance scripts to mail. Price was not substantively better. But I raised the issue of temperature controls, including in-transit and our mailbox (I can't guarantee it won't be in our box for a few hours). And understanding both the normal storage temps and manufacturer-specified excursions. Their answer was so vague that I didn't trust them and dropped the idea.

Wife has had great luck with her regular Kroger Pharmacy doing home delivery. We only used the service when COVID was at an extreme here, but it was free and fast. Not using it now, but would again if need arose. In using from early last year through this February - no issues at all.

Last year, my local pharmacy (Walgreens) offered home delivery. Not from the store itself, but via mail from their central warehouse in another state. It was a mediocre experience: 1)no temperature control, 2)uneven shipping times (but not bad considering nationwide logistics issues), 3)easy transition back and forth from mail to store (that worked flawlessly), 4)poor communications. It was an okay experience, but post-Covid, it is not worth the temperature issues to me as they used no temperature controls at all during weather extremes (winter, summer).

I'm now on Medicare D, and Express Scripts is again pharmacy benefits manager. Two phone calls and an email in the last month pushing conversion to their mail service. Almost no savings by doing so in my case - it would be all "convenience". I'm still concerned about temperature controls so I'm not considering. Retail pharmacies are close, have pre-pay to save time, and drive-throughs when I want. That's my current preference.

On the other hand, 5 years ago, we needed a maintenance mail-order drug for our dog. Service was unbelievable from that mail-order (non-human) pharmacy. Flawless delivery estimates and tracking, shipped in proper refrigerated containers that included temperature monitors, complete instructions on how to handle potential temperature issues, free replacements. It wasn't particularly expensive, but it taught me this CAN be done well.
Thank you.
Pale Blue Dot
Topic Author
4nursebee
Posts: 2642
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:56 am
Location: US

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by 4nursebee »

Broken Man 1999 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:01 am I have used Humana's mail-order pharmacy for many years. All my prescriptions with the exception of my pain killers have 90 day refills, with four fills, so a year's worth of meds via one prescription.

For my pain killers and any immediately needed meds, like an antibiotic, I use the Publix pharmacy where we grocery shop.

The mail-order pharmacy benefit is we pay the same co-pay, if any, for a 90 day supply as we would for a 30 day supply filled locally.

My insulin is sent in a small foam chest with frozen gel packs, as it needs to be kept cool. No heat worries at all, as almost always all the other meds are in the foam chest.

All in all the Humana mail-order pharmacy has been very reliable, and cost effective.

FWIW, even during the pandemic we didn't experience any slowdowns for our meds. We are smart enough to not allow ourselves to be cut short even prior to the pandemic, we always have a bit of a cushion. The worry we had is I believe many generic meds are from India, and there was some fear of the supply chain being very stressed, or even broken, leading to shortages. Apparently the shortages did not actually occur, to my knowledge.

Humana reduced the interval to reorder during the pandemic, as some folks must have been having issues with deliveries.

MIL's drug plan was through Express Scripts (mentioned earlier), and it seemed as though there was always some issue or another. The issue might have been with Express Scripts, or CVS or Walgreens. Lots of finger-pointing going on. This was a few years ago, perhaps Express Scripts is better now.

Broken Man 1999
Thank you, great stuff, especially on the insulin vials!
Humana says they have been top online Rx 3 yrs in a row.
Pale Blue Dot
lightheir
Posts: 2684
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:43 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by lightheir »

In Noracl we have Alto pharmacy. They have their own couriers that drop off, and shockingly, dont' charge extra for your meds, which seem to be totally fairly (low to me!) priced. Super easy to use web app as well.

It's a shockingly good business model that I believe is being copied/duplicated and funded to a large scale as we speak across the country by many competitors.

The only glitch that happened once is that during the lockdown they ran short of a med my wife needed so she had to get it from another pharmacy but otherwise, it's made the once-painful process of going to the pharmacy on a weekly basis, totally unnecessary.
desiderium
Posts: 1258
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by desiderium »

I can't believe how bad retail pharmacy service has become
Caremark used to be my pharmacy benefit manager and did online mail order
They were slow, had poor website function and lame service, I do not recommend
As a physician, patients say they are satisfied with express scripts, Humana and others. As noted above, your insurance company may have a preference/discount for a particular partner
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by quantAndHold »

Wife was a home care nurse for many years. Most of her patients were homebound. Nearly all got delivery. Most were delivered from one of a couple of local independent pharmacies.

My local CVS delivers, and I used it a couple of times when I was sick and didn’t want to stand in line. It was fine. The expectation is that you’ll be there to answer the door, of course, especially if you have meds that can’t sit on a porch all day while you’re at work.

I think for ongoing meds, most people just use mail order now. It’s usually cheaper.
leftcoaster
Posts: 738
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:04 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by leftcoaster »

Kenkat wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:38 am United Healthcare is always promoting Optum RX; although I have not used them, they seem pretty big. You might check with your health insurance company and see if they have a partnership with anyone as well.

https://www.optumrx.com/public/landing
Works well for us. Stick to local if still working out dosage though.
User avatar
calmaniac
Posts: 1315
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:32 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by calmaniac »

I switched to Express Scripts a year ago. I order meds and typically receive them within 3 days (Wash DC suburb). No lines, no waiting, no fuss.

A family member used to get insulin by mail. Always came with cold packs. No real issues.
"Pretired", working 20 h/wk. AA 75/25: 30% TSM, 19% value (VFVA/AVUV), 18% Int'l LC, 8% emerging, 25% GFund/VBTLX. Military pension ≈60% of expenses. Pension+SS@age 70 ≈100% of expenses.
seawolf21
Posts: 1590
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:33 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by seawolf21 »

Some mail order ship via USPS. We've had it for a number of years and concern are:

USPS delay (+1-2 days). Not a big deal in itself but I do wonder if heat affects medication especially in the summer.
Lack of inventory last year from mail order. Was able to obtain from a local pharmacy.
sport
Posts: 12084
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by sport »

DetroitRick wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:45 am A few years ago, Express Scripts acting as benefits manager for our health insurer, kept calling to convert our maintenance scripts to mail. Price was not substantively better. But I raised the issue of temperature controls, including in-transit and our mailbox (I can't guarantee it won't be in our box for a few hours). And understanding both the normal storage temps and manufacturer-specified excursions. Their answer was so vague that I didn't trust them and dropped the idea.
My Part D insurance is through Express Scripts as part of my Medicare Advantage Plan. I have a choice of mail order from them, or local pharmacies. Mail order is a little cheaper. I started using mail order. However, when I had one Rx was not right (probable temperature damage), Express Scripts would replace it unless I paid another copay. They said there was no recall on the drug so they would not replace it. They gave me contact info for the manufacturer. The manufacturer offered to replace it for free, but they are not a licensed pharmacy. So they offered to supply the drug to Express Scripts to give to me. Express Scripts refused to cooperate. In the end the manufacturer reimbursed my copay and asked me to send the bad Rx to them. I have been using local pharmacies ever since, even though I pay a little more. It is worth the difference not to deal with Express Scripts.
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8620
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:51 am
Broken Man 1999 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:01 am I have used Humana's mail-order pharmacy for many years. All my prescriptions with the exception of my pain killers have 90 day refills, with four fills, so a year's worth of meds via one prescription.

For my pain killers and any immediately needed meds, like an antibiotic, I use the Publix pharmacy where we grocery shop.

The mail-order pharmacy benefit is we pay the same co-pay, if any, for a 90 day supply as we would for a 30 day supply filled locally.

My insulin is sent in a small foam chest with frozen gel packs, as it needs to be kept cool. No heat worries at all, as almost always all the other meds are in the foam chest.

All in all the Humana mail-order pharmacy has been very reliable, and cost effective.

FWIW, even during the pandemic we didn't experience any slowdowns for our meds. We are smart enough to not allow ourselves to be cut short even prior to the pandemic, we always have a bit of a cushion. The worry we had is I believe many generic meds are from India, and there was some fear of the supply chain being very stressed, or even broken, leading to shortages. Apparently the shortages did not actually occur, to my knowledge.

Humana reduced the interval to reorder during the pandemic, as some folks must have been having issues with deliveries.

MIL's drug plan was through Express Scripts (mentioned earlier), and it seemed as though there was always some issue or another. The issue might have been with Express Scripts, or CVS or Walgreens. Lots of finger-pointing going on. This was a few years ago, perhaps Express Scripts is better now.

Broken Man 1999
Thank you, great stuff, especially on the insulin vials!
Humana says they have been top online Rx 3 yrs in a row.
The only mail-order pharmacies I have had experience with are Express Scripts, and Humana. Of the two, it was Humana hands down. Not even close.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
Dottie57
Posts: 12349
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:43 pm
Location: Earth Northern Hemisphere

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by Dottie57 »

ag1 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:53 am I recently started using a local single store pharmacy in my area after many years with the big chains. It has been an amazing experience. They deliver the medicines to home for free ( by car- not USPS). Medicines that need refrigeration are in a cold pack and delivered in person. Regular medicines he will leave by the door.
They answer their phones, pharmacist is always available. And my cost is the same as before.

Please explore if you have a local small pharmacy in your area.

Good luck
+1 My online pharmacy through insurance kinda sucks. Late delivery is common.
User avatar
celia
Posts: 16762
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:32 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by celia »

Before we started Medicare, we once used the mail service for meds for our employer’s plan. It was sort of nice to have automatic refills arrive on time without having to request refills. BUT it was not nice at all when you forgot to cancel a med you no longer take, but they think you are.

We went on a 3-week vacation one time and the day after we left, an expensive discontinued med arrived. Since we didn’t notify them until 3 weeks after the delivery, they refused to give us our money back.
:oops:

In another case, no-one was living in my in-laws’ house after they died and the house was up for sale. Someone stopped by the house (a realtor?) and brought the mail in along with a package of meds that was delivered to the wrong address. I came by a few weeks later and took the meds to the correct address. Meanwhile that patient had contacted the mail order pharmacy about not receiving the meds and had them refilled for free. Then I came along and gave him more. Not everyone would have gone out of their way to do that.
:oops:

So you should plan to always have a delivery a week before you need it, so there is still time to fix problems.
squirm
Posts: 4239
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:53 am

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by squirm »

Some non refrigerated meds can't get too hot either. Every month, I always just pick them up, just wear a mask, not a big deal.
sport
Posts: 12084
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by sport »

squirm wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:58 pm Some non refrigerated meds can't get too hot either. Every month, I always just pick them up, just wear a mask, not a big deal.
That is correct. Also, some meds can be ruined by being too cold. The packaging and info sheet that comes with some meds specify the allowable temperature range.
jebmke
Posts: 25271
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:44 pm
Location: Delmarva Peninsula

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by jebmke »

4nursebee wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:39 am
jebmke wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:21 am We used to use mail order, typically 90 day supplies. But then they started missing shipments and the USPS delays caused further issues (they lost shipments). We tried keeping a buffer and ordering early but the insurance company rejected the Rx.

We do drive up mostly now. Small town and there are times of day when lines at drive up are small or none.
Which mail order place did you have issues with?
I think it was Caremark; it was a while ago and part of an employer plan. No longer on Caremark. Most insurance companies will reject a refill if it is "too early" so if you attempt to build a buffer, it won't work. My wife tried to do that last year to head off any problems with supply chain from India on one of her maintenance drugs.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
jbuzolich
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:52 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by jbuzolich »

Use mail order pharmacy for every prescription that you can. Definitely do not use mail order for anything that requires refrigeration or other special handling. Refrigerated items need to be picked up in person and immediately taken home for cold storage. We've been doing it this way for years where pills etc all come by mail but one injectable medication I take my drive to pick up in person. Not too bad though, one prescription picked up in person per month.
jebmke
Posts: 25271
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:44 pm
Location: Delmarva Peninsula

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by jebmke »

One thing I should add. If the mail order is part of a national chain that has local pharmacies, if a shipment gets lost or delayed they can typically front you a supply (30-days?) from the brick and mortar. When we were on Caremark we had to invoke this a couple of times; a bit of telephone work to make it happen but it does prevent gaps if the shipment doesn't make it. Strictly mail order operations wouldn't have any way to do that I would think.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
vested1
Posts: 3492
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2012 3:20 pm

Re: Rx home delivery?

Post by vested1 »

My wife and I are on Medicare Plan D and have different plans because one of her medications is a tier 5. We both use mail order. Both plans charge less if you use mail order and provide a 90 day supply. Their approved walk in pharmacies only provide 30 days of medicine.

Mine is sent by CVS every 90 days and is a pain because they are constantly getting the number of refills and sometimes dosages incorrect and the dates when you can ask for a refill differ by medication, even though all my medications are prescribed for 90 days with 1 refill at the same time by my doctor. CVS recently went through a merger with Wellcare and Aetna I believe. Wellcare is my Plan B provider, and when the merger happened last year it got worse. I ended up making a Medicare complaint to resolve an issue in 2020. Only the complaint got their attention.

My wife has her mail order through Humana, which has been far more reliable. They never get things wrong, but they are more expensive because they rate drugs differently in their tier structure than Wellcare and CVS do. One prescription of mine is a tier 1, but the same prescription for my wife with Humana is a tier 3. Her plan has a $455 deductible for tier 3 and above, as stated in her contract, yet they have applied that deductible to all drugs, including tiers 1 and 2. Their service is great though, and I don't have to keep repeating myself when there is a problem. My wife's tier 5 drug is overnighted for free and comes in a styrofoam container with freezer packs. At the price they charge it should come with a butler and a massage ($5,800 co-pay).

In my opinion all of the push ups we have to go through to get mail order prescriptions are worth it as compared to waiting in long lines only to find that there is a nasty surprise waiting for you at the counter over something you weren't aware of.
Post Reply