Getting medicine while FT

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
I'm sure it is an insurance company requirement.

For about 6 years we had to use CVS if we didn't use mail order for a prescription. Last Dec 1, CVS was dropped and now we have to use Walgreens or Walmart.

We do have an alternate arrangement possible to get refrigerated prescriptions locally through a participating pharmacy, it just costs us a lot more. Lucky for us, the need for refrigerated drugs has ended. Our mailing service will not accept refrigerated packages to be forwarded to us later.

That's interesting, I guess when we get to that point I will ask the mail serv if they would accept and forward refrigerated items if need be. Not sure why it has to be CVS, as another posted it could be an insurance required thing.

I'm sure it is an insurance company requirement.

For about 6 years we had to use CVS if we didn't use mail order for a prescription. Last Dec 1, CVS was dropped and now we have to use Walgreens or Walmart.

We do have an alternate arrangement possible to get refrigerated prescriptions locally through a participating pharmacy, it just costs us a lot more. Lucky for us, the need for refrigerated drugs has ended. Our mailing service will not accept refrigerated packages to be forwarded to us later.

She has to go through CVS? That's strange. You can get prescriptions filled anywhere.

She said hers has to go through CVS so I told she should ask them also what they do in a situation like that.

I've been fulltiming for 3 years and have never had a problem. I get 90 day prescriptions and had decided early on to use Walgreens because they are EVERYWHERE. Plan B would be Walmart. I just call my doctor's office and give them the address of the local Walgreens and they electronically send my prescriptions.

I also need a blood test every 90 days so my doctor attaches the lab request to an email and sends to me. I print it and take it to the local Quest or Labcorp, but have also found that I can take it to a hospital.

This was one of the things I was concerned about when I was considering going fulltime but it has turned out to be a non-issue.

Thanks for the great replies. I told her also that she could probably find out from her insur and doctor what they could do resulting in what she would have to do also. We will plan on being in one spot for possibly a couple weeks at a time so I'll just need to see what her doctor tells her.

Most of us have a regular medical requirement that means we must go 'home' at certain times.

3 months for some, 6 months for others, once per year for the fortunate.

Talking to the doctors AND your insurance company will determine which time frame will work for you.

Almost anything regular can be done when traveling.

Bloodwork is easy. Companies like LabCorp or Quest can do an ordered test in Indiana, California, Florida or Alaska and deliver the results to your doctor just as she/he normally receives the result.

In early Jan, we were near San Diego - 2 1/2 months into a planned 11 month west coast swing. The excellent doctors at Balboa Naval Hospital STRONGLY recommended we come back to Dallas and have my wife's PCP work through a moderate issue she was having that was impossible to resolve while traveling.

So we are now back in the Dallas area for another unpleasant winter.

Being full-time means you must be able, and willing, to adjust your schedule/ plans for medical and family needs.

Some doctors/ conditions will require that you be 'home' every three months. In some cases the doctors will recommend against a long distance traveling lifestyle.

No one but your doctors, and by extension, insurance company can tell you what will work for you.

tinner12002 wrote:
My better half put up a question to me about how she will get her medicine every 3mo and have blood work done every 6mo for that medicine. She also gets botox shot every 3 mo for her eye. I imagine we will be using a mail provider service then but not sure how that would work with the fact that the meds she gets every 3mo come refrigerated. Anyone else in a similar situation or have any ideas?

If you have insurance CALL THEM. They may have a mail order partner

DW used to get quite a lot of meds that required refrigeration and it was never a problem. In one case we got directly from the mfr and in the other cases mail order from nat'l chain pharmacies (both Walmart mail order and Walgreens mail order). They were always sent at no extra charge FedEx overnight morning deTRlivery. They always came in a sealed styrofoam chest of appropriate size for the meds plus a half dozen or so freezer packs. Never once did they miss a delivery. We just needed to know where we would be camping on the delivery day and call the office to get the correct address for Fed Ex delivery. We also advised the office of the delivery and that we'd be arriving that day and ask that they hold it in the office till we arrived and that no special handling on their part was needed (the meds will stay refrig for several days in their office). We always found people in the cg that wanted a free styrofoam chest and free ice packs and we usually had a couple to give away each month.

Labs were also easy. She had a very cooperative doctor so we designed a form on our computer for lab orders which he signed. When she needed labs, we'd just reprint the form, google "blood lab near us", put the address in the GPS and bring the form and ins. cards to the lab for blood draws. When the doc wanted different tests or add'l tests, we'd get an email about it and pull up the form, make the needed changes or adds and print. We used the same form off our computer for well over 10 yrs just changing the date every 6 mo or so. Never was an issue with the labs. We could also add special instructions like "provide a copy of the results to the patient" or have them send a copy to a second doctor.

Don't know how the botox shots would work by DW also periods where she got monthly infusions. At first they were done at a local hospital wherever we were and again her doctor would provide us via an email scan with the Rx. In later years, we found more and more private infusion centers and they were even easier to work with - they operate on a profit motive looking for as many customers as they can get through in a day. Not sure how that would work for you. I went for 3 yrs with shots in my eyeball every 3 months (after we stopped FTing) and I'm a bit squeamish about a needle going in my eyeball. Not sure I'd have that done at some profit motivated 'clinic'. Not sure if what you are talking about is an actual shot in the eye though.

Don't make FTing more of a problem than it is. Think of it as though you were just on a vacation and didn't want to drive 500 miles back home just to get your refrig meds. You'd call your pharmacy and tell them you're on vacation and need to have your meds shipped to you this month. They do it all the time. Then just 'rinse and repeat' every month, 3 mo or 6 months. No one needs to know that you're "homeless" :)

I get mine mail order every 3 mo. Not refrigerated however but they can ship anywhere.
You can always use WalMart, Walgreens etc if you like.
Might ask your Dr about blood tests when you travel. Should be easy enough. My friends do it.