How to Fill a Prescription
There are many ways to get a prescription from the doctor filled, including mail order companies, internet pharmacies and local retail pharmacies. The most commonly used way to fill a prescription is often a local retail pharmacy, such as Walgreen's or CVS.
Take the prescription to a local retail pharmacy. It is recommended to take it to the same one for all medications, so the pharmacist can easily keep track of a person's medication history.
Once given the prescription, the pharmacy staff will verify that the prescription has all the required information. At this time, the staff member will ask questions about name, address, medical & medication history, allergies and whether or not the person has insurance.
After gathering the required information, the prescription will then be entered into the pharmacy's computer system. This is to ensure proper tracking, product selection and pricing.
The pharmacy staff will then verify insurance coverage for that prescription either by phone or internet. This is to insure that the coverage is valid and what portion will need to be covered by the customer. If there is no insurance, the customer will be charged the current market value for that prescription.
The pharmacist or pharmacy technician will then fill the prescription from the pharmacy's inventory as ordered by the doctor. Generics may be substituted where allowed by law or the doctor.
The pharmacist or pharmacy technician will next place the appropriately labeled medication in a proper container.
A final check is done by the pharmacist to insure the prescription has been filled correctly and the medication is in good condition.At pickup, the prescription is handed to the customer and signed for. The pharmacist will explain about the medication and any possible side effects. Any questions or concerns can be addressed at this time.
The customer then pays for the prescription, which will either be a copay or full price depending on insurance coverage.