• Why is my co-payment so high?
  When we fill your prescription we are also billing your insurance company. The insurance company determines what your co-payment on a prescription will be on that day and sends that information back to us via the internet. Springfield Pharmacy has no role in that determination and any discrepancies need to be dealt with by contacting your insurance company directly; we cannot change your coverage and the amounts charged to you from our computer. In most cases, it has turned out to be a result of your annual deductible not being met or that a particular drug is not on your insurer's covered drug list.

• What should I do if I am going away on vacation and need my prescriptions refilled early?
  In most cases your insurance company will allow you to fill your prescriptions early if you are going away. You will need to contact your insurance company and the doctor at least one week before leaving and make them both aware of your vacation. If the insurance company is not contacted prior to your departure, they may not cover an early fill on your medications.

• What if I lose my prescription or my prescription is stolen?
  Immediately contact your local police if your prescription is stolen. The next step is to contact your doctor, making them aware of the loss or theft of your prescription, then contact your insurance company. In some cases, if the proper steps are followed, a replacement prescription will be covered. Some insurance plans require you to pay out of pocket to replace the missing medication.

•  What if my prescription has no refills remaining, or has expired?
  In most cases we are able to contact your doctor via fax and let him/her know you are requesting a refill and do not have any remaining on the original prescription. Most times this can take 24 hours for a response, sometimes it can take longer. If you need the medication sooner, it is better to call the doctor's office yourself and ask them to call us with a new prescription.

• Why was this prescription not filled like it was last time?
  This is a general question that entails many different scenarios and situations. Easy open caps, color of pill, prescription mailed or delivered, three month supply, generic versus brand, all contribute to the answer and fall into our special need category. The simple answer to this question is: If you have any special needs or requests, please inform our staff ahead of time, or when you drop your prescription off, so that we may take every effort to accommodate your needs.

• Why did you fill my prescription with the generic when it was written for the brand name?
  By law, we have to fill your prescription with a generic if a generic is available. In certain cases a brand name medication can be dispensed, but the doctor must follow certain Federal, State, and insurance guidelines and regulations in order for this to happen. If the doctor does not have the proper documentation, we cannot legally fill the prescription for the brand name medication. For more information, please ask one of your pharmacists.

• What is a prior authorization (PA) and what does it mean to me?
  A prior authorization is advanced approval from the insurance company to pay for medications that are normally not covered. This means your insurance company will not pay for a particular prescription until further information is provided to them. The physician prescribing the medication must contact the insurance company and provide the additional information. You may have to wait as much as 72 hours before the insurance company will approve or deny the prior authorization request. If the medication is needed immediately, you may pay for the prescription out of pocket and be reimbursed later for that prescription. Be aware that not all prior authorization requests are apporved and should this happen, you will not be reimbursed the out of pocket expense.

Smilin' Steve's Pharmacy Tips

For New Prescriptions

• Have your name printed clearly on the front of the prescription with the proper spelling.
• Have your date of birth written on the prescription.
• Have any known drug allergies written on the back of the prescription.
• Bring your current prescription insurance information to the store with your prescription.
• Make sure we have all of your current information and your file is correctly updated.

For Refills of Prescriptions

• Save waiting time by using our automatic refill line. Call your prescription refills in one day in advance to ensure it will be ready for you.
• Large quantities or specialty drugs may require one advance days notice to ensure we have the medication on hand. Ask a staff member if this applies to your prescription.

General Tips

• If there are any changes in your insurance, allergy information, address or phone number, please make sure we have that information when you first bring your prescription in to be filled.
• Mondays and the day before and after a holiday are usually the busiest days; please expect a longer wait time on those days.
• Read all labels on your prescription bottle and verify the information.
• Check the label to make sure the prescription has refills remaining when calling in a refill. This is indicated on the bottom of our labels.
• ALWAYS ask the pharmacist if you have any questions regarding your medications.