I can't be the only one who HATES CVS

Submitted by EconomySeaweed7693 t3_ycufwz in massachusetts

My parents are stuck with CVS Caremark Insurance cuz of where they work, and they effectively can only pick up their drugs from a CVS.

I go to the CVS in Lowell today, the drive through line starts in the parking lot, and I walk inside and the line stretches deep into the aisles. I walk up to pick up the medications,there are legit only 6 PEOPLE WORKING THE PHARMACY, 2 cashiers, 1 doing shots, 1 doing the insurance issues, and 1 pharmacist answering phone calls like crazy, and 1 girl filling drugs I assume.

I look at the bins and they are covered with folders of prescriptions on top of them. ALSO,SERIOUSLY WHY DO THEY CALL ME WHEN MY PILLS ARE NOT EVEN FILLED. The cashier said they do that to say it's ready to be filled, and that means we'll fill it in 3-4 days, but to a normal person, ready to be filled means it should be done today yk.

HOW R THEY ALLOWED TO BE SO SHORT STAFFED? How have they not made disastrous mistakes?

38

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

putoelquelolea t1_itpxm87 wrote

>there are legit only 6 PEOPLE WORKING THE PHARMACY, 2 cashiers, 1 doing shots, 1 doing the insurance issues, and 1 pharmacist answering phone calls like crazy, and 1 girl filling drugs I assume.

They really shouldn't be doing shots while they're working

32

Feisty-Donkey t1_itpsv7i wrote

Ready to fill means ready for you to request a refill. Basically “we expect you need more now, please fill it.”

I just do it on the app.

21

LollyTotlkyWondrr t1_itoiic6 wrote

They are allowed to be short staffed bc decreasing insurance reimbursements and staffing cuts so CEOs can keep more money in their pockets is a thing. If you want it to change, please complain to your insurance because they own the insurance and won't do anything since you are forced to fill there. Complain to govt officials as well. Nothing will change unless someone in power dies. Even celebrities have complained and nothing changes You are better off filling at Tufts or Brigham and womens or any outpatient hospital for the time being. It is dangerous bc every CVS is like this. Lines through the aisle and only one person working. Btw the reason why you can only fill at CVS is because your parents workplace chose cheap insurance their HR sets the rules. Tell them to complain to HR to change it. I had CVS Caremark and could fill anywhere but could only fill 90 day supply at CVS

18

YamiKokennin t1_itotiqj wrote

That is weird that they say ready but not. I have my meds auto fill at CVS on a 3 month interval and when I receive the text telling me it’s ready, it really is ready. Something is strange with the answer she gave you.

10

downwardspiralstairs t1_itpbdsi wrote

I dumped cvs after getting one to many messages that my Rx was ready for pickup when it wasn't.

6

goPACK17 t1_itop5e0 wrote

TIL CVS offers insurance

5

[deleted] t1_itot9k7 wrote

[deleted]

5

pab_guy t1_itps6xi wrote

That's correct, but in OP's case they are referring to Caremark, which is a Pharmacy Benefits Manager (aka, insurance for drugs) and owned by CVS for a while now.

3

modernhomeowner t1_itpg31e wrote

You really should double check that they need to use CVS. I don't know of any Caremark or Aetna plan that requires you to use CVS pharmacies, even though CVS is in the name.

5

joelav t1_itqh5l9 wrote

Mine does. Caremark prescriptions through Anthem insurance. I can use other pharmacies but the cost is much higher for brand name drugs. My daughter's inhaler is 3x the price at Walgreens than it is at CVS for me.

Cheap generic stuff is the same price anywhere

6

northursalia t1_itr0064 wrote

CVS owns Aetna - you can have any prescription filled anywhere, but if you are on a maint medication, as determined by at least 3 months of continued refill, you are required to buy from CVS mailorder. You can continue to fill elsewhere, they will just not pay for any portion of your medication if you do.

Happy to be rid of Aetna.

6

joeltb t1_itq2022 wrote

I have CVS caremark ins for prescriptions and I fill them at Walmart.

2

CLS4L t1_itplgsp wrote

Walgreens not much better

5

lotusblossom60 t1_itpqji6 wrote

There is a shortage of pharmacists everywhere. I now mail order all my prescriptions after struggling with CVS continually saying they didn’t have a prescription that my doctor sent over. Like 5 times this past year. (I’m sick and take a lot of meds)

My guess is that your parents may have a mail order option and should use it as it is a little cheaper too.

5

Unique-Public-8594 t1_itpg58a wrote

Short staffing is a huge problem everywhere now. We need to increase our patience at drug stores, restaurants, post offices, grocery stores. Etc. zen. Kindness. Patience. They are all working to the point of exhaustion. Show your gratitude. Bring them cookies. I feel bad for the employees.

The sea of humanity is a problem. It’s a problem for tourists in Salem, for football fans in Foxboro, and leaf peepers in the Berkshires. It’s less of a problem further from major cities, in lower population density areas, and away from tourist areas. You choose to live in a city of over 100,000 close to Boston, you signed up for this. If you have no patience for waits, traffic, and crowds you might be happier moving.

Learn the lingo. It’s not hard. “Ready to be filled” means doctor’s approval cleared”. It does not mean “ready for pick up.”

Switch to Express Scripts. Works like a charm.

3

yuliemoon t1_itppi17 wrote

It's not just short staffing, although I'm sure that has added stress onto an already strained environment. I was a tech there for a few years and they continuously cut technician hours. My location was able to keep up, but over time that was impossible without the pharmacists going in hours early and staying after closing. Adding in all of the vaccines that pharmacists have to stop workflow to administer = even longer waits.

4

UltravioletClearance t1_itqdnle wrote

It all comes back to housing. The political elite of eastern Massachusetts spent the past 20 years adding tens of thousands of highly paid tech jobs to the city, then blocked the construction of any new housing for said employees. So the highly paid tech employees took all the housing away from the working class. Now there's no one left to work all the working class jobs that keeps civilized society functioning.

Pharmacy techs make like $17/hr. Good luck qualifying for so much as a studio within 30 miles of Boston on that salary.

2

Cheap_Coffee t1_itppbwt wrote

>They are all working to the point of exhaustion.

What?

−1

Unique-Public-8594 t1_itpsaoi wrote

All the pharmacy employees I see are hustling and exhausted. Completely spent. Glad to see you question this. Sounds like they aren’t where you are.

5

BannedMyName t1_itpxgwh wrote

The CVS on the corner of wood st and Princeton Blvd is never really busy when I'm there.

Everybody everywhere is short staffed. I don't know how people haven't encountered this issue since it began almost 3 years ago and manage to have a nutty like this now.

3

bubalusarnee t1_itqbfro wrote

Why are you asking the cashier, an hourly worker, about the pharmacy, run by credentialed and salried professionals?

You looking for half-wrong answers to complain about?

Maybe the guy who delivers bread can tell me why the market is low on egg nog?

3

[deleted] t1_itqqgu3 wrote

CVS, like most low-wage employers, are struggling to hire and keep staff. Especially since they are letting those low-wage employees bear the burden of short staffing and unreasonable scheduling to make up for it. I watched a worker walk out on the job because of those same conditions you're describing. Perhaps CVS corporate should focus on the workers instead of shareholders to correct the issue.

3

Peeeculiar t1_itpbap7 wrote

Sounds like they MIGHT BE LOOKING TO HIRE. Are you INTERESTED?

2

SmuglySly t1_itqx2du wrote

I feel like every pharmacy is like that right now. Our local Walgreens is the same. All under staffed. There’s only so many pharmacists and pharm techs.

2

chancimus33 t1_itr2fs8 wrote

I mean…technically they are not “stuck with CVS Caremark Insurance”. You can get prescriptions filled without having Insurance. There are also like 2-3 apps that give you huge discounts on rX drugs too.

2

maralagosinkhole t1_itrhbwv wrote

People who work at CVS hate CVS, too. They're always understaffed.

2

Academic_Guava_4190 t1_its92f6 wrote

I have CVS Caremark for prescriptions and I get mine at Walgreens.

2

Repulsive-Analysis56 t1_itv0d6x wrote

Worked for CVS-It is a completely shitty company to work for.

First off, CVS takes metrics to a whole new level, like pharmacists get reports every hour over how much they have done, how fast each pick up/drive through transaction takes and how many. If you stay in the green ,you get a bonus. If not, it becomes red.

This might sound good until you realize CVS IS NOT FUCKIN MCDONALDS. YOU GET PENALIZED FOR SPENDING MORE TIME THAN YOU SHOULD WITH A PATIENT IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABT A MEDICATION. This is completely against the premise of health.Next time you go, ask them a question abt a medication, THEY WILL MAYVE GIVE YOU A ONE WORD RESPONSE. They want you GONE ASAP. Also, the amount of work that needs to be done is crazy. A typical store can go through 3,000 scripts per week, and there is not enough hands on deck for it.

TECHS GET PAID MINIMUM WAGE, and they are usually from my experience a mix of full timers and college students. With the amount of work that needs to be done at a typical CVS, any one smart and experienced leaves. The employees are overburned and ARE HARRASED DAILY.

Seriously , go work for a CVS, the patients were insane. If someone does not get their med, usually because its too soon, or the insurance doesnt cover it, they will lash out on the employees.

THEY WILL SWEAR AT US AND TREAT US LIKE SHIT. Seriously , make sure you treat the techs with respect.

Overall, there are just so many problems with CVS, this is just the start.

2

Boston_Pops t1_itqdo18 wrote

This is a systemic failure. It costs the company nothing to make you wait in line due to insufficient staffing. Moreover, it costs the company very little to turn the counter-person into a corporate apologist.

1

pinklemonade7 t1_itqpnt7 wrote

Is it maintenance medications you’re waiting for? You could do mail order from CVS Caremark. They send 3 months worth medications at once. I hate picking up my meds in person too.

1

Sheeshka49 t1_itsjc3p wrote

Are they aware of GoodRX? I get 90 day supply of Rosuvastatin for $13.35 and it was $141 at CVS. Download the app. It’s free.

1

MammothCat1 t1_itspn3t wrote

After about the 2nd year of dealing with our local pharmacy basically blaming the DR, the DR's assistants, the drug manufacturer and my fiancé for having the audacity of having a prescription for her meds, one of them being opiates, we switched out to Walgreens.
No more fighting the pharmacist, no more wrong counts, hell they even routinely call the dr for any authorizations needed if there's an issue.
Its been a blessing every time we've gone in there for our daughter too. Just have to call, ask, they call the dr's and that's it. At max we've had to maybe follow up on something that was the Dr's offices issue once and that was because the Rx was hard to read.
CVS everywhere, from stand alone to target, have been nothing but huge pains in the ass and I don't understand why. Walgreen's even has the same amount of workers at all times and its been a year.

I know i tried to apply for Pharmacist Trainee position at least 5 years ago, was told i wasn't what they were looking for. Come to find out He only likes to hire women (was told by the Manager of the CVS Proper).

1

guacamole_shiba t1_itqfunn wrote

They are really disorganized and overpriced, too. Just being in that store for any amount of time stresses me out. I only go in there once a month because they fill my prescriptions on time, and they send me text alerts for when they’re ready. I recommend signing up for the text alerts and creating an account with the CVS website to see which prescriptions are ready to be picked up, or in process. But you’re right, they’re typically very understaffed, and the med lines are always long. It’s a bit chaotic in there.

0