Fulltiming and Prescriptions

Flanz wrote:

MTPockets1 wrote:
We get prescriptions written that last a year. Mail order at 90 day intervals sent to our FL Mail forwarding service, or wherever we direct. When it comes time to rewrite prescription we are usually settled somewhere for the winter and find a Doctor, show the records, and have always gotten new scripts for another year. Sometimes the new Dr makes slight adjustments after blood tests, but that is normal.

This sounds exactly like what we thought. How difficult is it finding a doctor and getting in for an appointment?

. Third year and have had no problem. Call for appt as new patient and they get you in. They always do a blood screen and depending on your overall health may want additional tests, but We're fine with what the doc orders. Just plan to stay put for a while if things like treadmills, or other things.

While standard prescriptions work OK with 4 90 day refills if you can use the same chain drug store, if you have to transfer them you may find your 4 refills become one. Not every location has a Walmart, CVS, or other chain pharmacies nearby.

Another problem is with the Schedule II drugs that can only be prescribed for 30 days & no refills: Link.

Flanz wrote:
How difficult is it finding a doctor and getting in for an appointment?

Depends upon where you are and the time of year. Lots of fulltimers find that they spend the winter (~ 3 months or so) in the same place and use physicians in that area. A lot will depend upon your insurance and what they will allow. Since we are on Medicare, it is just looking for physicians who take Medicare, which isn't too difficult in an area with LOTS of snowbirds. We found a new primary care physician this winter since we purchased a park model in Mesa, AZ. Lots of hospitals have established physicians groups and we chose on of those groups and have been very happy with our choice.

Barb

If you're planning to spend the winter in the same area, find a doctor there for your yearly appts. Or, if you return to your previous home area, stay with your doctor there for your once a year appt. They can write prescriptions of a year.

While you're traveling and become sick go to a quick medical clinic for minor ailments and a prescription for it. If it's an emergency, go to an emergency room.

It is all very doable no matter where you're at. I even went to a wonderful clinic in Canada for a gall bladder attack. I received excellent service and the doc even call a couple times later to see how I was doing. It was a very reasonable fee - $65.

When you do have a prescription we have always used WalMarts to fill them. Then as we travel they are easily refilled. Others use Walgreens or mail order, etc.

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.

MTPockets1 wrote:
We get prescriptions written that last a year. Mail order at 90 day intervals sent to our FL Mail forwarding service, or wherever we direct. When it comes time to rewrite prescription we are usually settled somewhere for the winter and find a Doctor, show the records, and have always gotten new scripts for another year. Sometimes the new Dr makes slight adjustments after blood tests, but that is normal.

This sounds exactly like what we thought. How difficult is it finding a doctor and getting in for an appointment?

You really need to find a physician that you like, that understands what you are doing and that you go to see once a year. You may think that things won't change with your health, but the simple fact is that we are all aging and aging isn't always pretty. We changed to physicians in the area where we are spending the winters, to give us more time to have things checked out.

We use Express scripts - get the scripts written for 90 days with 4 refills, that takes us to the next year. We do so because of the requirements of our insurance as mail order pharmacies are usually cheaper. We are also investigating whether it would be cheaper to buy some of the meds from Costco without using our insurance.

Barb

we full time but travel back to home base (Florida) every 6 months for doctor appointments and prescriptions. We like to stay with the same doctor. I use CVS Pharmacy for refills. I can request refills online and designate a different CVS Pharmacy to pick up.

We get prescriptions written that last a year. Mail order at 90 day intervals sent to our FL Mail forwarding service, or wherever we direct. When it comes time to rewrite prescription we are usually settled somewhere for the winter and find a Doctor, show the records, and have always gotten new scripts for another year. Sometimes the new Dr makes slight adjustments after blood tests, but that is normal.