[Diabetes] Question about Prescriptions and the LTI scheme

tbh

Guys - wanted to see if this happened to any of ye, and if it's a big deal.

There's one local pharmacy that I used to go to to get my px filled, but I stopped, because there was always at least one item I had to get that they didn't have. No big deal, of course, but what annoyed me was that they always put it on the list of items dispensed, and said something like "oh, we owe you those strips/pens/whatever, if you come back during the week, you can collect them"

At first it didn't bother me overly - if I needed them urgently, I'd usually just walk the extra 50 feet to the other chemist in the same centre, but then it started to dawn on me - they get paid to dispense those item, right? So they are getting paid to give me something they haven't given me - and if I get them from somewhere else, they get paid for them twice.

It also bothered me that they would write the record of dispensed items before they had actually done it.

The last time I was in, I asked for pens and strips. They had the pens, and gave me the usual story about the strips - "oh we owe you those, you can get them in two days". Problem was, the last time I'd been in, they'd said the same about the pens, and they'd put those down as being dispensed. I asked why I was signing for the same item twice and the girl said "sure it doesn't matter - they are free". It really bloody annoyed me! I refused to sign and I won't be going back.

Does anyone know - do they get paid for dispensing items? If, for example, I signed for strips I didn't get, and they got them in and gave them to someone else, are they getting paid twice? Does this happen to anyone else?

graflynn

This happens to me occasionally but not very often. I try to get a months supply at a time. The staff at my chemist always apolagise so much when it happens.

I don't know if they're trying to "cod" the HSE out of money or not. Sorry can't help with that question.

But I would be seriously thinking about changing if it happened to me on every occasion. It's sounds like a very unorganised shop and not at all reliable.

Very annoying.

BC

Its happened to me once or twice but very rarely.

There is info on the HSE administration of the scheme here. It does appear to be based on the forms that we sign:
http://www.hse.ie/eng/Staff/PCRS/Contractor_Handbooks/PCRS_Handbook_for_Pharmacists.pdf

robinph

Certainly sounds as if they are trying to get extra money out of the government for something they have not done, and based on that out of your taxes. So it's a lie about them being free as they are costing you more in tax.

eilo1

I have had that happenen to me over the years but not regularly.

However my pharmacy was bought over by a chain about 3 years ago and now they dont get me to sign at all. Is this strange?!?!
They also dont keep my meds in stock and I always have to order them and then pic up 3 days later.

LegacyUser

If the item is on the printout they're asking you to sign then they are putting them forward for payment and will be paid for them. If they say they'll owe you them, ALWAYS go back and get them, they're yours!!! If you don't need them that month tell the pharmacy you don't need them and check the printout when signing to ensure they haven't put them through! As far as stock levels go, pharmacies are being squeezed so tightly by the HSE now that they're trying to reduce stock to minimal levels to help with cashflow (so cash isn't tied up in stock sitting on the shelves) so being out of stock every once in a while is understandable but every month is just plain disorganised!

lucernarian

LTI patients are supposed to sign off on those prescription dispensed printouts if the chemist was to claim the cost back, I thought...

I've found that prescription items being out of stock to be a relatively big issue in the smallest pharmacies and also more commonly with pharmacies in general in Drogheda, Co. Louth compared to Dublin city in general. I don't know why.

I also don't like the way they assume that I'm going to come back to claim something that's already "dispensed" though I usually just sign the claim to avoid looking like an awkward git. It's something the HSE need to look at.

tbh

just to clarify - I have no problem at all with them being out of stock - there are several pharmacies nearby - my main problem is asking me to sign for stuff that they haven't given me, and when I question it, saying "ah sure it's free anyway"

mike65

Logic suggests if they are listing items twice on seperate invoices and you sign off each time then they get paid twice for the item/s in question.

Kolodny

This happened to me in my local pharmacy recently and I thought it odd. I was told they were out of needles and to pop back in 2 days but I was still asked to sign for them. When I did go back to get them it was a different person at the counter and she remarked that my record said I'd only been given a box two days previously along with my other supplies. When I told her I hadn't, she didn't ask me to sign again and said her colleague must have made a mistake as I shouldn't have signed for something I wasn't given. Highly suspicious!