Medicine while traveling.

[Buster52]

Hi All, I have been wondering how I will get my medicine while traveling. I can only get one month at a time and I am planning a trip that will be two or more months long. Any ideas? I have no family of friends along the way.

Thanks

Buster

[jorbill2or]

The one time I did I changed my address online didn't ask questions perhaps it depends on what you are taking ? Mine was almost OTC meds

[imgoin4it]

Express scripts will absolutely not send a prescription to any place other than our home of record. I have talked to them several times over the years and have gotten no where. If someone who has tricare for life knows something I don't about how to get them to send medicine to another address on a temporary basis I would like to hear it.

[2gypsies1]

Buster52 wrote:
I left something out. My medical insurance has me getting my meds mail order. Sorry I should have included it.

Buster

Just tell the mail order that you're traveling and have them sent to you at a RV park that accepts mail.

[moonlightrunner]

I don't take any prescription meds but a friend of mine does (heart). He gets his from Sam's Club. He & his wife had to get them via Wal-Mart once due to bad weather and freaked over the cost. They have not had any problems with meds from Sam's but they have also learned not to wait until he is out of pills to refill the prescriptions. Sometimes the pharmacies are out due to supplier shortages. They get 3 months at a time as well. Told me it's cheaper that way.

[cochise49]

We use Kaiser out of SoCal. Have had refills sent to relatives but on a trip where that won't be possible, we plan to use Escapees or Good Sam mail forwarding. Many others out there. Most of the services will send you mail on demand via FedEx or UPS. If the park you are at won't accept mail or parcels most communities have a local Fedex or UPS drop location that will get your package. Had to wait until this age to enjoy life and the infirmities that go along with the age get in the way. Always a new way to skin a cat though. Let us know how you resolve it for your situation.

[paulsang]

imgoin4it wrote:
Most all the suggestions are good and will work unless you Tricare and get your scripts through express scripts. Then you have to figure home to have your mail forwarded to you. There is no good way we have figured out yet.

I use ExpressScripts. I worked with my doctor to start all 3 of my scripts at the same time. When 90 days is up, they auto ship.

My neighbor is taking in the mail. I left him with several prepaid FedEx Overnight Boxes. When the pills come in, he calls. I usually have about a week planned out and know where I'll be. I have him send to the campground where I'll be - Pre-arranged with the Campground of course. And He sticks in any inportant mail. My doctor gave me about 14 days of samples in case of emergency. But I haven't needed them.

I have a written back up of each prescription in case I get derailed. But It has been working out well.

Just takes planning, and and a LOT of figuring out.

[down_home]

I don't know all the ends and outs. Wife has some prescriptions, 30 days at a time, that travel creates problems. She can get the script filled out of town, one time. When she comes back home she has to get a new script. The Doctor can write a script for many prescriptions for 90 day supplies. Insurance companies play games andd won't fill the 90 day supply sometimes. Have to pay the same deductible for 30 day or 90 day but this is changing. Seems they don't want prescriptions ,written for more than thirty days as supposedly people might sell, them or something.
VA prescriptions, if I run out, unless it has changed again, I can get ten day supply, at another VA along the way. I can call and get my prescriptions forwarded to my temporary or relative's address. Had a heck of a time two years ago when I ran out of Insulin. finally got one vial each and then got home VA to send supply to our Daughter, while out there.

[jorbill2or]

chapala wrote:
We have an HMO and get our prescriptions by mail. Last year when we left for 3 months, we talked with the pharmacy and doctors beforehand, and got all prescriptions filled in advance for that 3 month period. I think we also could have them mailed ot us at a different address while in Arizona, but we didn't need to do that. Any prescription that requires a dr. visit for refills would have to be done before you leave.

X2 and I use Express scripts .. They( express scripts) actually prefer to refill in 90 day increments and will mail wherever. unless the Dr writes only 30 day RX and if they do a conversation with the DR should stop that .. or perhaps a DR change might be in order

[chapala]

We have an HMO and get our prescriptions by mail. Last year when we left for 3 months, we talked with the pharmacy and doctors beforehand, and got all prescriptions filled in advance for that 3 month period. I think we also could have them mailed ot us at a different address while in Arizona, but we didn't need to do that. Any prescription that requires a dr. visit for refills would have to be done before you leave.

[rk911]

Buster52 wrote:
I left something out. My medical insurance has me getting my meds mail order. Sorry I should have included it.

Buster

that's usually just an option. check with your insurer.

[Buster52]

I left something out. My medical insurance has me getting my meds mail order. Sorry I should have included it.

Buster

[imgoin4it]

Most all the suggestions are good and will work unless you Tricare and get your scripts through express scripts. Then you have to figure home to have your mail forwarded to you. There is no good way we have figured out yet.

[Johno02]

The biggest problem we have had is some prescriptions for drugs than can only be transferred once. If you are staying at one place, this is not that much f a problem, but if your are, it can be. Only solution is to discuss it with doctor beforehand, then have them call a one-month script to the local pharmacy at the time you need it. Then, repeat the next month somewhere else.

[rfryer]

A national chain should work fine for you. I’m usually gone for a month at a time and sometimes two and I have to refill. I use Walgreen's and they can access my local records and refill with no problem. Two qualifiers. Don’t use mail, I did that in FL and specifically told them to mail to an address there. They sent it to my home in AZ and it was a major PITA to sort out with the insurance company.

Also, Walgreen's tracks your refills and when you’re back home you may get an automated message about refilling your med. I did that and at the end of the message it said my prescription would be ready to pick up the next day at the pharmacy in Jacksonville, FL- the last place I got a refill. I told the local pharmacist to tell their IT guy his system would work better if he identified the pharmacy up front rather than finding out after the fact where the prescription was going. Other than that, though, you should have no problem getting your refills.

[joeshmoe]

wildtoad wrote:
Are you taking name brand drugs? I've converted most of mine to generics that are on walmarts $4/$10 list. Insurance doesn't pay for them and I get 90 days.

This. ^^^^
And since it's heart medication, it's highly likely that there is a generic version. As mentioned, call you doc and have him write a scrip for 90 days. That's $4.00 for me at Walmart. No stupid insurance necessary.