Complain about a product or service

Walgreen

Beverly of La Selva Beach CA writes (3/3/03):
The Walgreen in Madeira Beach FL charged me $364.89 for a prescription. The exact same prescription cost at my local independant pharmacy in Santa Cruz County, California is $254.25. A very considerable difference of $110.64!

We are in Florida to help a friend who has cancer and we are on a tight retirement budget. This escalated cost really hurts!

Linda of Homestead FL (3/26/02):
After receiving an Rx from Dr. Rigoberto Franco in February for Celebrex, I went to the above mentioned Walgreen's and was informed that in order for my insurance to cover it, Walgreen's would need an authorization number from the doctor. I informed my doctor's office and they took care of it. I received an authorization letter from the insurance company and went back to Walgreen's (NABP #1083562) only to be told again that it was NOT authorized.

I went to the doctor's office and they copied the info. that had been faxed to the ins. carrier as well as the approval letter from the insurance company. I took it to the pharmacy and was told that it was NOT authorized and Walgreen's gave me a number for my doctor's office to call. I called again and the doctor's office called again. Long story, short - Seven (7) times is what the insurance has record of authorization for this medication - I have yet to receive it once! Each attempt I have made to pick up my (covered) Celebrex, the same NO authorization from the Walgreen's staff.

I tried, (after being on hold half an hour), to explain to the pharmacist (Bob Brown) my dilemma and if he could call the helpline with Merck Medco and was rudely informed that this was my problem and that my doctor's office was to blame. Merck Medco was kind enough to make a 3-way call for me to this pharmacy to let Walgreen's know that it was indeed Walgreen's mistake. This particular Walgreen's seem to be understaffed, overworked and hostile against the patrons...even the pharmacist could not have been less concerned with this situation and even called me back to inform me that he had called the insurance carrier and found out that I was NOT approved.

A phone call to the insurance carrier proved that he had NOT called them at all. One might expect this behavior from a clerk but certainly not a professional representing Walgreen's!

I have been dealing with this situation for a little over a month ... doctor kind enough to give samples until Walgreen's could get things right. Arthritis is not a pleasant thing to deal with - Thank goodness for medication that allows movement and less pain. Have spent hours trying to obtain my Celebrex from Walgreen's and spoken to by the pharmacist on duty,as well as the staff, as if RUDE was a company requirement.

Jeanine of Frankfort IL (2/18/02):
I went to the Walgreens in Frankfort to pick up my daughter's prescription, after it had been dropped off for approximately 4 hours. I waited 7 people deep in line. Upon my turn I gave the name, the employee shuffled through prescriptions, it was not yet filled. As I was waiting for the prescription to be filled I noticed the Pharmacist that was filling my daughter's prescription on a phone call. At that point I told him to forget it and give me the slip back. He then told me it would only be 2 minutes, I informed him I wanted him to give the mixing of my child's medication his undivided attention.

When I arrived at home I was so aggravated with my experience I called the manager to voice my complaint about the chance of error. The manager proceed to make excuses for the pharmacist, he was busy, they are short handed because of the flu. I told the manager he was not understanding my complaint. THE PHARMACIST SHOULD NOT BE "MULTI-TASKING". HE SHOULD BE GIVING HIS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION TO THE MIXING OF MEDICATIONS.

My insurance works through Walgreens; I have no choice but to deal with their care-less attitude. I am worried too with them growing to such a large company, how many errors will the pharmacist have to make before they will allow him to concentrate on his job.

Gail of Redding CA (8/28/01):
I had my whole family's medications provided by Walgreens and it was excellent service at first, when the store was establishing customers. I thought this is neat, a pharmacy that is open 24 hours a day. I have a busy schedule and the medications have to be there, we order medications 9-12 monthly every month. My youngest takes 8 different medications a day; and CAN NOT go without them.

But after six months we began to have problems. Medications were continually not filled when they were needed, even though they were given a week to get the doctors approval. They kept blaming the doctors office for not faxing the approval over to them. Than I got upset with the doctors office; when I found out it wasn't the doctors office at all, they had faxed Walgreens every time and had proof through there records that they had been faxed. Then they said it was because they had over 5000 customers ... but when you need medications you can't set around and wait, you need them filled in a timely manner.

There were even times they told me I never called it in. Well after many months I decided to which to another pharmacy so that I wasn't running back in forth for our medications. We finally have found a pharmacy that delivers right to our door, who if need be will front us medications on renewals if the doctor doesn't get back to us right away.

Charles of Christmas FL (8/25/00):
On Sunday morning I was filling my weekly pill container when I realized I would be out of one of my meds. I looked at the date and saw it had just been refilled 8-13-00. I saw the bottle had a circle around the quantity. I went to Walgreens and talked to Mr. Lee the pharmacy manager. He told me they do that when they verify counts on controlled medication.

I then pointed out to him that the bottle wouldn't hold 60 pills,I usually get larger bottles. He said let's see and attempted to fill it. He agreed it would not hold 60 pills. He said it did look odd but he was sorry their was nothing he could do. I said that was not satisfactory, I am 2-weeks short on medicine, again he apoligized. I called my insurance company and made a formal complaint, which didn't mean beans, and tonight I'm going to the Titusville PD and make another compaint do to the fact that the Med. is a controlled item.

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