Will a Kaiser doctor write an Rx that you can take to another pharmacy?

December 20, 2013 11:28 PM

That's pretty much the whole question. I ask because I am signing up for Covered California and am leaning toward Kaiser, as that is the health provider I will have up to Dec. 31 of this year and it would be nice to not switch everything around. But the plan I am looking at charges $19/30 day supply for generic medications, and I know that one of my meds can be bought at Target for $10/90 day supply. I know that the normal Kaiser process is to use the in-house pharmacy, but I wonder if doctors will write a prescription that you can take elsewhere. Medications form the bulk of my healthcare spending so this could potentially make a big difference to my meager budget.
posted by imalaowai to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

Yes. It won't work in reverse, though: if you have a script from a non-Kaiser MD, you will have to pay the full price at a Kaiser pharmacy.
posted by stillmoving at 11:39 PM on December 20, 2013

How do you know that you can get that prescription for $10 through Target? Just because someone else is getting the same prescription elsewhere for less doesn't mean you can too. Your insurance provider has to have that Copay and the willingness to approve a 90 day supply. I have really excellent insurance (like beyond amazing) and my dumbass provider would rather die than let me get a 90 day supply of what is ultimately a very cheap (but medically necessary) drug. It doesn't matter where I fill the script either.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 11:39 PM on December 20, 2013

These Birds of a Feather, there are certain (generic) drugs that some pharmacies have deals like that ($10 for 90 days) on without involving insurance. Usually you can find a list of them.
posted by needs more cowbell at 11:54 PM on December 20, 2013

Legit! I stand corrected. My provider must be really restrictive then.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 12:19 AM on December 21, 2013

Many Kaiser docs and systems seem to prefer doing prescriptions electronically rather than by paper, for accuracy and through documentation reasons. But if you get a paper prescription, you should be able to fill it at any pharmacy. If your doc doesn't do paper, I can't imagine he/she refusing a request for paper unless he/she was suspicious you were going to do something shady with it. I fact, if you explain why you want paper, I can't imagine a doc refusing for your reason. If they did refuse, I'd request a different doc.
posted by 2N2222 at 9:44 AM on December 21, 2013

If you have refills on your prescriptions you could try taking the bottles to the pharmacy of your choice and asking if you can get them transferred there. Verify your meds actually are on the $10 list, as the list is rather limited. If they're on the cheapo generics list it might not matter if Kaiser will pay outside pharmacies. I don't think your prescriber can dictate where you get your prescriptions filled, particularly if Kaiser won't be footing any of the bill.
posted by eldiem at 10:25 AM on December 21, 2013

Best answer: I've had Kaiser insurance since I was a baby -- first under my dad's insurance plan, and later, as an adult, under my own -- and I've not filled one prescription using their pharmacy. I've always had my prescriptions called in to the pharmacy of my choice with zero issues. They'll also give you a written Rx if you prefer. Go for it. (Northern California, if it matters)
posted by LuckySeven~ at 1:21 PM on December 21, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks all. Yes, one of my prescriptions is definitely on the Target $10, list (really wish the other one was, too, though I think it might still be cheaper to get it at Target than at Kaiser with my copay).

LuckySeven - I am also in northern CA, so hopefully I will have the same experience you have.
posted by imalaowai at 4:20 PM on December 21, 2013