Fulltiming and Prescriptions

Since we are in Mesa for several months each winter, we went ahead and got a new primary care physician this year. Turns out to be a great decision as the thorough new patient review caught several potential problems. Not saying our 'hometown' physician won't have caught them, but a fresh pair of eyes can be a good thing.

barb

musicman54 wrote:

arhayes wrote:
I just send my doctors an email and they send prescription orders into Express Scripts for me. They then ship the prescrips through our Escapee mailing service. My doc sent me orders for blood tests which I took to the local lab. They sent the results to my doctor. We plan to go back through Texas this fall and I'll get my annual check-up then. So far this has worked fine for us.

how does express script work will they deliver to your campground from local rx store

Musicman - I guess I could have E.S. ship directly to our current location, but we decided it would muddy the waters less for them to send it to our Escapees "address" in Texas which is our domicile address. Escapees sends me an email anytime they receive medications, so I then direct them to ship those along with any mail to our current location. We signed a form to allow Escapees to sign for certified mail - which is how our medications are sent from Express Scripts. Additionally, of course, E.S. has also notified us that they had been shipped, so we know we're watching for them. We had now received meds in 4 different locations and have had no problem.

As someone noted in another post, you DO have to stay on top of your prescriptions so you don't run out, but for non-narcotics, E.S. contacts my doctor for refill prescriptions and on routine ones I only have to tell them I need them. Again, to date I've had no problem. On pain meds, I call the doctor and he has to fax in a "triplicate" in to E.S. for my 90 day prescription, but again that has not been an issue for us yet.

We consulted both our doctors before we jumped into this to insure it wasn't going to be a problem. We both had full physicals prior to leaving Texas last July. Our Doc requested that we both have bloodwork done in January and sent us request forms for Quest which was the Lab office closest to us at the time. The results were submitted to him for review. They also know that we plan to be through Texas in September again and will get annuals at that time.

Hope this helps - but again, I'd sure have a heart to heart with your doctor before jumping into this. You'll have a domicile issue that we didn't since we were from Texas to begin with. Good luck with your decision.

phrr wrote:
My question is when I am fulltiming how would I go about having checkup's and perscription renewals? Once I leave my home state (KY) I have no intention of returning. Well after a a lot of words, anyone have suggestions or relevent advice?

Before going full-timing - sit down with the doctor and discuss you intended lifestyle change. Discuss being outdoors, getting more exercise, etc. Get his opinion if it is a good option for you.

While your post seems to suspect a financial motive for the increased appointments - do remember that with age - some conditions become more serious, and require more monitoring visits. We are all different. Most doctors generally want people over age 70 to 75 to be seen twice a year.

My wife's eye doctor has recommended that we get her checked by another doctor while we will be Connecticut for six months this summer. He likes to see her every three months.

He is going to contact some doctors in that state and try to arrange the mid-trip appointment, with results forwarded to him.

Your tests can likely be done in other states, by other doctors, or facilities - with the results forwarded to your doctor.

Many of us prefer to make a yearly or semi-annual visit to our old 'home area' for doctors appointments. But many others set up a new base in areas like Florida, Arizona or south Texas and find a new doctor.

Florida and Arizona especially have a lot of seniors who move to those areas and find new doctors. If they do, we all can.

All health insurance has a procedure for you to get care while far away from your primary physician. Learn and know the rules so you can be assured of getting the care you need. I need to go to an emergency room, not an 'Urgent Care Center' for things like sinus infections, etc. Extra unnecessary expense for the insurance and me in my opinion, but those are the rules.

Again - talk to your doctor about your proposed lifestyle change - only he knows enough specific information about you to give you good advice.

Prescriptions - it really depends upon your medical/prescription insurance. For a very large number of retirees/ seniors - a mail-order plan with 90 days of drugs at a time is not an option - it is a requirement.

One of the major 'issues' full-timers have to deal with is a mail service. Anything from a neighbor to a professional mail service.

If you intend to permanently leave KY - you also need to deal with the issue of finding a legal domicile/ permanent residence - likely in another state.

Also - talk to your health insurance company. If you are under age 65/ not on Medicare - you may have to change insurance companies.

Mail order prescriptions work very well with full-timing, traveling, etc.

But you and your doctor have to get out of the mindset of "Oh, only two more pills left - I need to go to the pharmacy tomorrow"

You have to plan a couple to several weeks in advance. Not only for prescriptions and appointments, but many other items.

I have arrhythmia, which has never caused a problem, and was only found when i was scheduled for minor surgery, which with my present cardiologist requires that I have it checked 4 times a year, I have an EKG done twice a year on the other visits he only listens to my heart with a stethascope. Before his cardioligst group built a new facility I only had my heart checked twice a year, I find this interesting. Also when I was under the care of my original cardioligist (before he retired) I only had a checkup once a year. My question is when I am fulltiming how would I go about having checkup's and perscription renewals? Once I leave my home state (KY) I have no intention of returning. Well after a a lot of words, anyone have suggestions or relevent advice?

Express Scripts delivers through the mail from one of their big distribution centers. We also use them for all of our maintenance meds (required by our insurance company to save money) and they shipped them out to our Livingston address (or to a temporary address if we are going to be in one spot for a while) and the shipment has a tracking number so I can tell when it reaches Livingston and then I request our next mail shipment. We get our scrips written for 90 day supplies with 4 refills so we can go a whole year between checkups. For short-term medications we use Walgreens.

Barb

arhayes wrote:
I just send my doctors an email and they send prescription orders into Express Scripts for me. They then ship the prescrips through our Escapee mailing service. My doc sent me orders for blood tests which I took to the local lab. They sent the results to my doctor. We plan to go back through Texas this fall and I'll get my annual check-up then. So far this has worked fine for us.

how does express script work will they deliver to your campground from local rx store

Instead of everyone talking about what the DEA requires, or doesn't require, why not just go read the DEA page on Schedule II drugs.

One thing to note it is not DEA that says 30 day supply, it is state requirements. What they do say is no refills.

Barb

It has been our experience here that first, doctors cannot call in or electronically send in a prescription for a heavy duty pain killer to the pharmacy. We must carry it into the pharmacy in person. Second, because of that first rule there is no way that a doctor can give us a refill when we are in another location.

I believe that for the strong pain meds you can have the medication mailed to you from one state to another. Please check with your doctor.


This was from a Consumer Reports article: "State laws vary on whether or not pharmacists can fill prescription for Schedule II drugs written by a doctor in another state. For example, pharmacies in Massachusetts will only honor prescriptions for six other states while Texas pharmacies will fill prescription from all other states, provided they meet Texas requirements."

Once again, with our Texas domicile and using Expeess Scripts, I have has no issue having 90 day prescriptions for pain meds sent by my doctor in TX to Express Scripts. Our permanent address is through Escapeesmail service. Perhaps other states are different. I'd check with your doctor before you finalize your plans, but it works for us.