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New CH.com Forum › Cluster Headache Help and Support › Medications, Treatments, Therapies › maxalt and insurance

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maxalt and insurance (Read 1103 times)

Gullible

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maxalt and insurance
Apr 8^th, 2009 at 9:23am

I'm episodic, 6 weeks every 2.5 to 3 years. Maxalt works pretty well for me. I live in NYC.

I recently went to get a prescription filled and encountered the following: Insurance pays for 9 pills every 30 days, with a $25 co-payment. However, maxalt is distributed in boxes of 12. The pharmacist by law cannot open the box. Therefore, the best he could do was to sell me the additonal three pills at "his cost" which was ... $85! Thus, I paid $110 for 12 pills.

Anyone else come across this issue? Any possible work-arounds?

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Lobster CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 2417 Gender:	Re: maxalt and insurance Reply #1 - Apr 8^th, 2009 at 9:39am The pharmacist by law cannot open the box. Sounds odd. Imitrex vials come in 5-packs. My pharmacist pops those boxes open for me all the time to fill an odd-quantity prescription. They either seal the box back up with the lesser amount, or put the loose vials into a pill bottle.
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Gullible CH.com Newbie Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 3	Re: maxalt and insurance Reply #2 - Apr 8^th, 2009 at 9:52am Lobster, Maybe it's a state-by-state thing?
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Val_

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except change.

Posts: 252
Bay Area, CA
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Re: maxalt and insurance
Reply #3 - Apr 8^th, 2009 at 1:05pm

Hey there Gul,

I have had Maxalt MLT prescriptions filled for the last few years in different quantities - I am in CA. I know the MLT come originally in boxes of 12 - 4 blue plastic boxes of 3 packages. The pharmacists here will pull out a box or two and slap a pharmacy sticker on one, two - however many the prescription is for. I would think that this would serve for whatever state! This is how they get them - in bulk and distribute them to the user in less quantity.
I did a quick search for NYC pharmacy laws and came up with this link that might be of use - I would call... I would find out the law and if they were in the wrong demand my money back! Tongue

I had a pharmacy fill a prescription dosage 1/2 wrong once and they filled my next prescription for free... I should have reported them. Had I been a heart patient I might have been dead.

ANYWAY here is the link -
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

"The Pharmacy Guide to Practice (PDF, 124 pages), which contains the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the profession of pharmacy in New York State and other helpful information, is available in PDF format. Other relevant sections of the Education Law, Rules of the Board of Regents and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education can also be viewed on this site."

If you don't want to read the guide, I did a Very quick scan and came up with this -

PRACTICE ISSUES OR THE RULES GOVERNING PROFESSION

• Standards of Practice
• Scope of Practice
• Related areas

NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY:

Call: (518) 474-3817 ext. 130
Write: New York State Board of Pharmacy
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234-1000
Fax: (518) 473-6995
E-mail: pharmbd@mail.nysed.gov

It is also on P. 24 of the PDF. Wink

In a Freq Asked Q's section - it is geared for pharmacists/ pharmacies, but also states it is for other interested parties and I would call anyway!
Further Information
23. Who do I contact if I have additional questions or need more information?
Answer: Please contact the State Board of Pharmacy by phone at (518) 474-3817 ext. 130; fax at (518) 473-6995; or by e-mail at pharmbd@mail.nysed.gov.

Good luck!!

Glad Maxalt works well for ya - Careful tho if you're taking it daily during cycles - I had rebound headaches from it. Was told by my new neuro that Sumatriptan is the only triptan that doesn't really cause rebounds As much as well as not causing tachyphylaxis... not sure of the extent of the truth of this - just sharing my experience.

Val

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deltadarlin CH.com Alumnus Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 3823 Downsville LA Gender:	Re: maxalt and insurance Reply #4 - Apr 8^th, 2009 at 5:28pm I looked at the file and didn't see anything in particualr referring to your predicament. HOWEVER, most drugs come in bulk form to the pharmacy. They are then broken down and put into RX bottles. I would call around and ask different pharmacies to see if it is their policies. Carolyn
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Gullible CH.com Newbie Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 3	Re: maxalt and insurance Reply #5 - Apr 16^th, 2009 at 7:37pm Thanks everybody for the suggestions!
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