Consumers who choose to purchase through online pharmacies cite privacy, cost, and convenience as the reason for doing so. Many times the cost of the prescriptions are significantly less than purchasing through a local drug store. Many online pharmacies can offer the consumer as much as a 50% savings. The online purchase can be made discreetly from home, with the prescription being delivered right to the door.

When researching online pharmacies, you will notice there are those who offer distribution only. There are others which offer prescription services as well as distribution. The difference is significant. With an online dispensary, you would have to fax or mail your doctor’s prescription to the pharmacy. The physician may be able to call or e-mail the prescription, as well. These types of online pharmacies must be licensed in which ever state they sell, and in the state they are located in.

The online pharmacies which offer the prescription services as well as delivery usually have little to no contact with the consumer. You are taking your chances when dealing with this type of company. The physician may be licensed to write the prescription, but there may be no customer service to seek help from. The medication which is prescribed may or may not be what you need. The physician does not know your medical history and could prescribe something which could cause an allergic reaction or other adverse reaction.

Many online pharmacies are extensions of the brick and mortar establishments like Walgreens or CVS. This service is offered as a convenience to the customers for online ordering and store pick-up or home delivery. This is the safest form of online prescription ordering. The computers are linked to cross reference medications which may counter affect each other. The medical history of the customer is also listed so there is no chance of allergic or other adverse reactions. There is always a customer service number to reach the pharmacist if the customer has any questions. It is also very legal to order from these online pharmacies.

There are certain online pharmacies which operate illegally. They will sell to whoever registers. The customer may or may not need a prescription. If a prescription is needed, there may even be a pharmacist who writes the prescription without seeing the patient. These online pharmacies are not approved nor licensed with the Food and Drug Administration. The regulations set forth by the United States do not allow overseas pharmacies to sell to U.S. customers. Many times these regulations are ignored. This can potentially cause harm to an unsuspecting customer.

The customer who orders from online pharmacies which is located overseas takes the risk of obtaining contaminated or harmful medications. There are no regulations set forth to monitor these drugs for safety. In other words, when you by from overseas online pharmacies, you have no idea where the medicines are made or how long ago they were manufactured. The health risks are enormous.

Online pharmacies which carry the VIPPs seal are certified by the FDA and licensed to sell. The pharmaceuticals are safe for human consumption. These online pharmacies are regulated by a set of strict guidelines to protect the consumer. It is always best, and in this case safer, to stick with what you know.

“Consumer driven healthcare” is the name that has been given to the change that is currently happening in the medical marketplace. As millions of people get Health Savings Accounts, medical providers are having to adapt to the new reality of people spending their own money when purchasing healthcare. As more companies compete for your business, the opportunities to save money will continue to grow.

Since the advent of employer-sponsored health insurance during World War II, the pricing and quality of medical services has been shrouded in mystery. As the real price for computers, organic food, big-screen TV’s, and just about everything else has continued to drop (including health services where there is not a third party payer, such as laser eye surgery, contact lenses, over the counter medication), the price of healthcare has continued to rise. But that is finally beginning to change. And you, fellow HSA-owners, are the reason.

To gain a competitive advantage, healthcare providers have traditionally attempted to grow local market share in an attempt to extract higher payments from insurance companies. But since Health Savings Account owners have the ability to accumulate unspent funds and invest them tax-free, those of us with a Health Savings Account have a strong incentive to avoid unnecessary care, and to be more cost conscious when we seek treatment.

There are now billions of dollars in Health Savings Accounts, and healthcare providers want access to that money. And since you control it (instead of the insurance company), the only way for the provider or retailer to get that money is to offer you high quality care at a price you are willing to pay. And dozens of companies are doing just that.

The Market Responds

One obvious response to the consumer-driven healthcare movement is the proliferation of quick-service medical clinics. These clinics, which require no appointment and typically charge less than $50, offer a low-cost way to diagnose and treat strep throat, bronchitis, pink eye, and other common ailments. MinuteClinic operates dozens of locations in Target, Cub Foods, and CVS Pharmacy stores. Wal-mart, which currently has 75 in-store clinics in 12 states, is forecasting more than 6,600 in-store medical clinics will be open in retail stores within 5 years.

Diagnostic labs, which have traditionally sold their services to physician’s offices, are now offering tests directly to the public at prices often 70% less than you would pay at a doctor’s office. With most you can order the test online, go give blood, and get your results in a couple days.

Companies are even providing self-testing services and devices which can enable you to avoid going to the doctor when minor medical events occur. One of the most common reasons kids see a doctor is because of a possible ear infection. For about $50 you can buy an EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor. This uses sonar to test for fluid behind the eardrum, which may indicate an infection. “The QuickVue Strep Test” which costs less than $4 per test in a pack of 25, can quickly help you determine if your child has a strep infection, which would require a doctor’s visit, from a common viral infection, which would not.

Demand Price Transparency

Health Savings Accounts reward personal responsibility in three ways: 1) they reward you with tax-breaks for putting money aside to cover future medical expenses; 2) they reward you for taking care of your health by enabling you to grow your account; and 3) they reward you for being a cost-conscious and discerning consumer.

So be a discerning consumer, and spend your money wisely. Remember that the doctors and healthcare providers you see work for you. If you don’t get the quality of service or a fair price, take your business elsewhere. Here are some common sense suggestions to make sure you do get a good price:

1. Ask how much it will cost, before you buy. There is nothing else that you buy without knowing the price up front, so don’t feel intimidated to ask your doctor the same.

2. Review your bill before paying it. You might be shocked how often extra charges are “accidentally” tacked on to hospital bills.

3. Ask for a cash discount. To avoid the hassles of filing for insurance and trying to collect past-due charges, most physicians will gladly offer a cash discount if you ask.

4. Explain that you will be paying out of your own pocket. When a doctor is prescribing tests or writing prescriptions, he or she is rarely taking cost into consideration. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine recently reported that up to $63 billion in medically unnecessary tests are ordered every year.

5. Vow never to pay list fees. Doctors and hospitals routinely discount their services to insurance companies and PPO organizations. As a cash-paying customer, you should get the best price available.

For many years, a small group of health economists and other policy-makers pushed for a more market-based approach to healthcare. They correctly argued that healthcare was like any other market and that if you put a true price on health care services and let the market function, costs could be controlled. We are now beginning to see this happen.

Our healthcare system is the best in the world. It is a dynamic and complex work in progress, which can only get better as the consumer gets involved. So be savvy about how you spend your healthcare dollar. And watch those unspent funds in your Health Savings Account continue to grow.

The Medicare Trust Fund will soon be out of money, and there will be no practical way for the government to continue to provide the level of benefits that current Medicare recipients receive. The result will be serious rations, waiting periods, and a reduction in benefits. If you wish to maintain your medical freedom, and have access to a high level of medical service, you must be prepared to pay for it yourself. The best strategy is to take good care of your health, and to build up your medical retirement fund as large as possible by using a Health Savings Account.

GETTING A REFILL

1. If you’re already a customer:

If you’re already a customer, there is a number of ways for you to have your prescription refilled. Assuming that you do in fact have refills on it…

a. You can simply CALL your CVS/Pharmacy and ask them to refill it for you. Be sure to stay on the phone with them long enough to ensure that you are due up for the medication. Having a prescription refilled before its due date many times means that your insurance carrier will not cover it. Be it Medicare or a private insurance carrier. So be sure to double-check with the pharmacy employee you speak with.

b. You can use CVS/Pharmacy’s AUTOMATED SYSTEM. To do this, call your local CVS/Pharmacy and listen carefully to the prompts. (Press 1, Enter 6 digit RX number, then # key…). If you find them confusing, or are unsure as to whether or not you followed them correctly, call the number back and verify with a pharmacy employee (Press 3 then 1).

c. You can also order your refill ONLINE at cvs.com

d. You can also WALK in, and maybe do some shopping, or read a magazine as you wait.

2. When wanting to go to a different CVS

Having your refills done at a different CVS than the one you usually utilize is also relatively straight forward. This is a good thing to remember when on vacation, out of town, or are simply in need of your medication and your local CVS/Pharmacy is not in easy reach.

a. CALL the local CVS/Pharmacy and explain the situation to them. They can pull up your prescription through the CVS database, and fill it for you.

b. You can also just WALK into any CVS/Pharmacy.

3. When you have NO MORE Refills

a. SIMPLY do ANY of the above if you’re using your regular CVS/Pharmacy. The Pharmacy will get in contact with your Dr. by either Fax or Phone Call and ask for a Refill Authorization.

b. If out of town or using a different CVS/Pharmacy, just CALL them and let them know you’re not a regular customer of theirs and that you don’t have any refills. They’ll take it from there. They may call your regular CVS and ask for your Dr.’s information and the medication, and then call or fax your Dr. for Refills. Or they may just call your Dr. directly if you have his contact information or if they can obtain it some other way.

For additional Pharmacy Related Questions, please visit cvscustomers.com